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Feeding and respiratory gas exchange of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Acari: Ixodidae)

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Abstract

Ticks are subject to various environmental constrains, such as dehydration, desiccation and long-waiting for hosts to attach. These factors are crucial for tick survival in the environment. Ticks have developed physiological mechanisms and/or strategies that allow adaptability and survival in the environment in which they live, such as spiracle control and cyclical or discontinuous gas exchanges. However, details of gas exchange profile have been reported only in a few tick species in the past. The present study aims to identify and describe respiratory gas exchange patterns in a tropical population of the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and effects of blood feeding. Adult female ticks were fed on rabbit hosts. Partially fed (4 to 6 days) and completely fed (> 9 days) ticks were collected daily during feeding, weighed and subjected to CO2 emission measurement at 25 °C using flow-through respirometry. Unfed adult females showed a well-defined periodical burst of CO2 emissions, followed by short periods of low-emission intercepts. The fed groups had drastic changes in respiratory profiles with semi-engorged females showing a high-intensity respiratory pattern alternating between continuous and discontinuous and the engorged females showing a continuous respiratory pattern with high frequency and intensity. The findings from this study contribute to a better understanding of the respiratory physiological process of a tropical population of the dog tick, which may help future investigations on other biological aspects of this ectoparasite and development of control measures.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported through grants from FAPEMA (Maranhão State Research Foundation, Brazil) and CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, Brazil). G.A. Landulfo and N.C.S. Silva received a post doc fellowship from CAPES, and A.S. Lima and T.L. Vale received an PhD scholarship from FAPEMA. The authors would also like to thank CNPq for a fellowship to L.M. Costa-Júnior.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Parasite Control, Department of Pathology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil

    Gabriel A. Landulfo, Aldilene S. Lima, Naylene C. S. Silva, Tassia L. Vale & Livio M. Costa-Junior

  2. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, USA

    Andrew Y. Li

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  1. Gabriel A. Landulfo
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  2. Andrew Y. Li
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  3. Aldilene S. Lima
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  4. Naylene C. S. Silva
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  5. Tassia L. Vale
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  6. Livio M. Costa-Junior
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Correspondence to Livio M. Costa-Junior.

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Landulfo, G.A., Li, A.Y., Lima, A.S. et al. Feeding and respiratory gas exchange of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Acari: Ixodidae). Exp Appl Acarol 78, 173–179 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-019-00383-3

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