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Effect of attractant sex pheromone on immature larval stages of ixodid tick species

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Abstract

Attractant sex pheromone (ASP) 2,6-dichloro phenol was used in the current study to evaluate the percentage attraction and the behavioural responses of the five ixodid tick species namely Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus microplus (Boophilus microplus), Haemaphysalis bispinosa, Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides and Hyalomma marginatum using petridish bioassay. Two concentrations of 2,6-DCP (0.1 M and 0.05 M) was used for the larval stages of all five ixodid tick species of which 0.1 M concentration was found to have maximum attraction. Trials with 0.1 M ASP revealed highest per cent of attraction in R. sanguineus larvae (71 %) followed by H. bispinosa (55 %) and R. microplus (55 %). With 0.1 M ASP R. haemaphysaloides and H. marginatum showed least attraction (39 % each). However the per cent of attraction of R. haemaphysaloides was higher (46 %) with 0.05 M ASP. Statistical analysis revealed a highly significant difference in per cent of attraction between the different tick larvae using 0.05 and 0.1 M ASP. The larvae also exhibited behavioural responses such as feeding, probing, resting and questing posture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Madras Veterinary College, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, 600007, Tamil Nadu, India

    R. S. Ranju, Bhaskaran Ravi Latha & S. Abdul Basith

  2. Department of Veterinary Physiology, Madras Veterinary College, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, 600007, Tamil Nadu, India

    V. Leela

  3. No. 11, Pary Street Extension, Choolaimedu, Chennai, 600094, Tamil Nadu, India

    R. S. Ranju

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  1. R. S. Ranju
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  2. Bhaskaran Ravi Latha
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  3. V. Leela
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  4. S. Abdul Basith
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Correspondence to R. S. Ranju.

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Ranju, R.S., Latha, B.R., Leela, V. et al. Effect of attractant sex pheromone on immature larval stages of ixodid tick species. J Parasit Dis 36, 155–158 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-012-0140-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-012-0140-1

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