Impact of feeding, molting and relative humidity on cuticular wax deposition and water loss in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum

Yoder, Jay A.; Selim, Mohamed; Needham, Glen R.

doi:10.1016/s0022-1910(97)00006-1

Cited by 30 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…A threefold increase in surface wax deposition and extreme water retention were noted after host drop-off after feeding (Yoder et al 1997). In ixodid ticks, this is the outermost layer, being cholesterol and derivatives, the most abundant neutral lipids found on the body surfaces of fed females (Sobbhy et al 1994).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of solvents and surfactant agents on the female and larvae of cattle tick Boophilus microplus

et al. 2007

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Many natural compounds have low water solubility and need to be dissolved in organic solvents, or surfactant agents must be used before addition into experimental systems. Therefore, it is necessary to determine their toxicity. Experiments were performed aiming to select solvents to be used in the bioassays, searching new acaricide agents from plants. Laboratory tests were carried out on larvae and adults of the cattle tick Boophilus microplus to determine the sensibility of B. microplus female and larvae to different solvents (acetone, methanol, ethanol and 1% dimethyl sulfoxide) and surfactant agents (1% Tween 80 and 5% Triton X-100) using the larval immersion test (LIT) and adult immersion test (AIT). In the AIT, the effect of the treatments on engorged females was assessed by measuring egg production and hatching rate. Acetone was toxic to the adults promoting mortality of 100%. Methanol and ethanol caused 45.3 and 14.2% of mortality, respectively. The other tested substances were not toxic to the engorged females of B. microplus. In the LIT, it was observed that the larvae were more resistant; after 48 h, about 100% of the larvae were alive in all the treatments except with acetone that caused a mortality of 10%.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of solvents and surfactant agents on the female and larvae of cattle tick Boophilus microplus

et al. 2007

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“…However, we cannot discard the existence of another factor downregulating cuticular permeability as the time after feeding increases. In another blood-feeding arthropod, the lone star tick, a higher cuticular permeability was observed in feeding ticks, and after host drop-off, a decrease in water loss together with a 3-fold boost in the surface wax deposition was measured (Yoder et al, 1997). This might favour water loss through the cuticle as an inexpensive way to concentrate blood.…”

Section: Wlr and Cuticular Permeabilitymentioning

confidence: 98%

Metabolism and water loss rate of the haematophagous insect,Rhodnius prolixus: effect of starvation and temperature

Rolandi

Iglesias

Schilman

2014

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Haematophagous insects suffer big changes in water needs under different levels of starvation. Rhodnius prolixus is the most important haematophagous vector of Chagas disease in the north of South America and a model organism in insect physiology. Although there have been some studies on patterns of gas exchange and metabolic rates, there is little information regarding water loss in R. prolixus. We investigated whether there is any modulation of water loss and metabolic rate under different requirements for saving water. We measured simultaneously CO 2 production, water emission and activity in individual insects in real time by open-flow respirometry at different temperatures (15, 25 and 35°C) and post-feeding days (0, 5, 13 and 29). We found: (1) a clear drop in metabolic rate between 5 and 13 days after feeding that cannot be explained by activity and (2) a decrease in water loss rate with increasing starvation level, by a decrease in cuticular water loss during the first 5 days after feeding and a drop in the respiratory component thereafter. We calculated the surface area of the insects and estimated cuticular permeability. In addition, we analysed the pattern of gas exchange; the change from a cyclic to a continuous pattern was affected by temperature and activity, but it was not affected by the level of starvation. Modulation of metabolic and water loss rates with temperature and starvation could help R. prolixus to be more flexible in tolerating different periods of starvation, which is adaptive in a changing environment with the uncertainty of finding a suitable host. KEY WORDS: Flow-through respirometry, Respiratory water loss, Cuticular permeability, CO 2 emission rate INTRODUCTIONDesiccation resistance is vital for survival and colonization of terrestrial habitats. In insects in particular, there must be a fine and efficient control of water loss because of their high surface area to volume ratio. Insects lose water through various pathways: transpiration through the cuticle, evaporation along open spiracles through the tracheal system, and excretion (Edney, 1977;Hadley, 1994). The contribution of each of these pathways to overall water loss is variable but cuticular water loss (CWL) generally accounts for a high proportion of the total water loss (Gibbs and Johnson, 2004;Hadley, 1994). The contribution of respiratory water loss (RWL) to dehydration has been analysed mostly in insects showing discontinuous gas exchange (DGE) (e.g. Chown and Davis, 2003;Lighton, 1992;Quinlan and Lighton, 1999 techniques that enable CWL and RWL to be distinguished in insects with continuous gas exchange: the regression method (Gibbs and Johnson, 2004) and the hyperoxic switch method . Using these techniques, it was observed that spiracular control under continuous gas exchange can modulate RWL as effectively as DGE (Schilman et al., 2005;Gray and Chown, 2008).Haematophagous insects that do not drink free water show big changes in water balance under different levels of starvation (Benoit and Denlinger, 2010)....

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“…Some tick stages are already immobile after a blood meal in preparation for molting or as eggs. The blood-fed stages, which are capable of handling desiccation stress, feature low water permeabilities, inability to absorb water vapor, and secretion of extra water-proofing wax on their surfaces (Kahl and Knülle 1988;Yoder et al 1997Yoder et al , 2004. These immobile, blood-fed stages, as well as the eggs, are said to be in state of developmental diapause or morphogenetic diapause during winter (Belozerov 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short day-triggered quiescence promotes water conservation in the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis

2015

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A short day-long day exposure comparison of water balance characteristics throughout the life history of the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis, was conducted to examine how this tick survives winter-associated dryness. Larvae, nymphs, and adults under potential diapause-inducing conditions (short day, 20 °C) have low water loss rates compared to long day exposed ticks. Above the critical equilibrium activity, these nonfed ticks show greater water gain from lower water vapor activities. In contrast to nonfed stages, eggs and blood-engorged stages (fed larva, fed nymph) were enhanced for water conservation independent of short day exposure and did not display reduced water loss rates under short day conditions. This short day-prompted response in nonfed ticks was distinguished from a genetically programmed diapause as noted in other arthropods by: (1) reduction in water loss was temporary and could be reversed quickly by transferring to long day for only a single day, then re-triggered by returning to short day conditions; (2) switch between low and high water loss rates could be induced multiple times and for multiple different stages; and (3) response by ticks was to the photoperiod they were under, not the condition that was experienced by previous fed stages or in the mother in the case of eggs. Furthermore, short day had no impact on altering body water content, dehydration tolerance limit, instar yields, or developmental stadia. We conclude that a short day-triggered quiescence reduces desiccation stress associated with overwintering in nonfed ticks. This effect on water conservation due to short day exposure is more pronounced for subadults and is likely due to their increased sensitivity to water loss as a result of their smaller size, which is critical to prevent dehydration during the dry winter periods.

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Impact of feeding, molting and relative humidity on cuticular wax deposition and water loss in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum

Cited by 30 publications

References 11 publications

Effects of solvents and surfactant agents on the female and larvae of cattle tick Boophilus microplus

Effects of solvents and surfactant agents on the female and larvae of cattle tick Boophilus microplus

Metabolism and water loss rate of the haematophagous insect,Rhodnius prolixus: effect of starvation and temperature

Short day-triggered quiescence promotes water conservation in the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis

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