Bionomics of ixodid ticks of ruminants in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

The bionomics of 4 ixodid ticks viz. Hyalomma marginatum isaaci, Boophilus microplus, Rhipicephalu haemaphysaloides, and Haemaphysalis bispinosa, was were studied under laboratory condition. Soviet Chinchilla rabbits were used as host for all species of ticks except for Boophilus microplus. For the latter one, crossbred calves were used as host. In this study, various feeding and reproductive parameters such as feeding, moulting, preoviposition and oviposition periods, engorgement weight and egg rate conversion efficacy (ERCE) of female ticks at temperature of 33.16–34°C and RH 68.7–78.48% were observed. There were significant differences in the larval and nymphal moulting period among 1 host, 2 host and 3 host ticks. The engorgement and egg mass weight of Hyalomma marginatum isaaci was higher than the other 3 ticks. The ERCE was > 60% in Hyalomma marginatum isaaci and Haemaphysalis bispinosa whereas < 50% in Boophilus microplus and Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. The minimum time required for each species to complete one   life cycle was as follows : Hyalomma marginatum isaaci,         73–82 d; Boophilus microplus, 45–57 d; Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, 81–88 d; and Haemaphysalis bispinosa 67–73 d. The tick Hyalomma marginatum isaaci on one occasion behaved as 3 host tick, but mostly as 2 host tick otherwise in 3 experiments conducted.