Egg Development in the Arabian Goat and Sheep Tick, Hyalomma arabica (Acari:Ixodidae).

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The development nf ovarian oocytes of the sheep and goat tick Hyalomma arabica Pcgrani, Hoostraal and Wassef 1982, has been investigated by the light and electron microscope. Such studies revealed that the egg development could arbitrarily be divided into previtcllogenic and vitellogenic stages distinguish¬able under the light microscope. The ultrastructural changes during egg development are described. Profiles of cndoplasmic reticulum and Gotgi complex are active in yolk synthesis. As vitellogcnesis proceeds, yolk precursors are incorporated into the egg by micropinocytosis at the egg surface. Thus, in H. arabica, yolk materials appear to be derived from both intra- and extra-oocylic sources. The mitochondria and lipids are abundant. Other cytoplasrnk components are illustrated.