Biology of Hyalomma schulzei (Acari: Ixodidae) on rabbits under laboratory conditions..

Abstract

Hyalomma schulzei was reared on rabbits and held under laboratory conditions at 28 ° C, 75 % RH, and 12 : 12 (L : D) photoperiod with high productivity. The completion of the life cycle required an average of 107.4 d. The unfed females increased 2.7-fold and unfed males became one-third wider, as a result of feeding. Larvae and females exhibited host-seeking behavior <1 d after hatching and molt, respectively. The tick behaved as two-host tick species. The larva-nymph attachment period ( ) was 24.7  0.15 d and female feeding period was 14.3  0.33 d. Nymphs molted 24.3  0.05 d after engorgement, and the percentage of molting was 90.3 %. Females began molting from nymphs 3 d before males emerged. A sex ratio of 1.3 : 1 (male/female) was determined from emerged adults. Females began oviposition 10.6  0.56 d after engorgement and produced 10.259  728 eggs per female. Egg hatch was 97.4 %  0.75 after an incubation period of 32.3  0.24 d. Females converted 57 % of engorged weight into eggs and produced 6.821  254 eggs per g of engorged body weight. A freshly laid egg on the first day oviposition weighed 58.6 g. An inverse relationship between egg weight and rate of egg production was observed.