The life cycle of Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks under laboratory conditions

Abstract

The developmental stages in the life cycle of Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis were investigated under laboratory conditions. The larval, nymphal and adult ticks were fed on sheep at 25-27 °C, 50 % relative humidity (RH) and exposed to daylight. All free-living stages were maintained in an incubator (28 °C with 90 % RH and a 12-h photoperiod). The whole life cycle of H. qinghaiensis was completed in an average of 176 days (range 118-247 days). The average developmental periods were 34.44 days for egg incubation; 5.83, 4.20 and 33.70 days for larval pre-feeding, feeding and pre-molting; and 3.88, 5.30 and 46.50 days for nymphal pre-feeding, feeding and pre-molting. The average times for pre-feeding, feeding, pre-oviposition and oviposition of female adult ticks were 2.60, 11.40, 8.50, and 19.35 days, respectively. The results confirmed the positive correlation between the weight of the engorged female and the egg mass laid (r = 0.557, P < 0.05). The reproductive efficiency index and reproductive fitness index in females were 5.49 and 4.98, respectively. Engorged nymphs moulting to females (4.53 ± 0.16 mg) were significantly heavier (P < 0.001) than those moulting to males (3.45 ± 0.19 mg). The overall sex ratio of the adult ticks was 1:1.1 (M:F).

Molecular survey and characterization of a novel Anaplasma species closely related to Anaplasma capra in ticks, northwestern China

“…Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis is a distinctive tick species that is common in high altitude areas in northwestern China, and preferentially infests domestic animals such as sheep, goats, cattle and yaks [13, 15, 16]. Out of the 414  H. qinghaiensis ticks sampled, 24 (5.8%) were positive for the Anaplasma sp.…”

Ticks (Acari: Ixodoidea) in China: Geographical distribution, host diversity, and specificity

“…A series of experimental studies on the life cycle or reproductive barriers of ticks have also reinforced the hypothesis. In detail, under laboratory conditions, many ticks exhibited physiological plasticity as they can feed successfully using novel hosts not related to the natural hosts (Z. Chen et al, ; Faccini, Cardoso, Onofrio, Labruna, & Barros‐Battesti, ; Labruna, Soares, Martins, Soares, & Cabrera, ; J. Liu et al, ; Ma et al, ; Olegário, Gerardi, Tsuruta, & Szabó, ; Pinter, Dias, Gennari, & Labruna, ). Meanwhile, these findings raise the possibility that the host diversity of ticks is undervalued, and various hosts can be used by ticks.…”

Novel spotted fever group rickettsiae in Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis ticks from Gansu, Northwest China

“…In the current study, the prevalence and molecular characterization of Rickettsia spp. was determined in H. qinghaiensis ticks, which was the dominant tick species and mainly recorded in northwestern China [ 23 , 24 ].…”

“…In this study, we first reported the Rickettsia infections in H. qinghaiensis ticks, and high prevalences of Rickettsia (18.5 %) and SFG rickettsiae (16.3 %) infections were observed in study site. The hard ticks H. qinghaiensis , a distinctive species common in the Qing-Tibetan Plateau, is a three-host tick and preferentially infests domestic animals, such as sheep, goats, yaks and cattle [ 16 , 23 , 24 ]. Previous studies have demonstrated that H. qinghaiensis could transmit Theileria sp.…”