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Oocyte maturation in the sloth’s giant tick Amblyomma varium (Acari: Ixodidae) in an ecological context

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Abstract

The sloth’s giant tick Amblyomma varium Koch, which is a neotropical species that inhabits tropical rainforests, is the largest tick reported to date. The adult stage of this tick parasitizes mammals from the families Bradypodidae and Magalonychidae (Xenarthra) nearly exclusively. This study aimed to describe morphological and histological features of the reproductive system and the oocyte maturation process of this tick species. The ovary of A. varium is a long single tubular organ that is horseshoe-shaped, winding and arranged in the posterior part of the body. Two oviducts are connected to the ovary on each side; these thicken at certain region forming the uterus (common oviduct), followed by a muscular connecting tube, vagina and genital aperture. A large number of oocytes at different stages of development are attached to the ovary wall by the pedicel, as they reach maturity they are released into the ovary lumen and from there to the genital aperture. These oocytes develop simultaneously and asynchronically along the ovary. Amblyomma varium oocytes were classified into five development stages (i.e., I–V), and specific characteristics were observed; the processes of yolk and chorion deposition begin early in oocytes stage II, and oocytes V exhibit a very thick chorion and eggs of a large size. These characteristics are likely adaptations that enhance the survival and the reproductive success of this extremely host-specific tick, which is limited to a particular environment.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) for financial support (Process #2010/00415-8 and 2013/10394-6). We are also grateful to Monika Iamonte, Antonio Teruyoshi Yabuki, and Gerson de Mello Souza for technical assistance. M.I. Camargo-Mathias and G.H. Bechara are recipients of academic career research fellowships from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, UNESP, Campus Rio Claro, Av. 24 8 A, No. 1515, Cx. Postal 199, Rio Claro, SP, 13506-900, Brazil

    Gustavo S. Sanches, Rafael N. Remedio, Pablo H. Nunes & Maria I. Camargo-Mathias

  2. Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, UNESP, Campus Jaboticabal, Via de Acesso Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil

    Marcos R. André, Rosangela Z. Machado & Gervásio H. Bechara

  3. Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Distrito de Barão Geraldo, Campinas, SP, 13083-970, Brazil

    Angelo P. do Prado & Silmara M. Allegretti

Authors
  1. Gustavo S. Sanches
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  2. Marcos R. André
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  3. Angelo P. do Prado
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  4. Silmara M. Allegretti
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  5. Rafael N. Remedio
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  6. Pablo H. Nunes
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  7. Rosangela Z. Machado
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  8. Gervásio H. Bechara
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  9. Maria I. Camargo-Mathias
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gustavo S. Sanches.

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Angelo P. do Prado: In memoriam.

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Sanches, G.S., André, M.R., do Prado, A.P. et al. Oocyte maturation in the sloth’s giant tick Amblyomma varium (Acari: Ixodidae) in an ecological context. Exp Appl Acarol 64, 519–531 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-014-9837-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-014-9837-4

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