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Life cycle of Ixodes schulzei (Acari: Ixodidae) in the laboratory, and demonstration of reproduction by parthenogenesis

  • Arthropods and Medical Entomology - Original Paper
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Abstract

Ixodes schulzei is an ixodid tick that parasitizes Cricetidae rodents, chiefly the South American water rat, Nectomys squamipes, in Brazil and Argentina. In the present study, we evaluated the life cycle of I. schulzei by exposing larvae and nymphs to feed on two rodent species, N. squamipes and Calomys callosus (large vesper mouse),while adult ticks were exposed to feed on N. squamipes. Off-host developmental periods were observed in an incubator at 27 °C, 95% relative humidity, and 0:24 (light:dark) regimen. Larvae and nymphs successfully fed on either C. callosus or N. squamipes. Mean larval and nymphal feeding periods were 8.8 and 8.7 days on N. squamipes and 8.5 and 9.7 days on C. callosus. The majority of engorged larvae (79.0–80.8%) and nymphs (67.0–86.0%) successfully molted to nymphs and adults, respectively. Mean premolt periods were 11.5–11.7 days for engorged larvae and 22.5–23.7 days for engorged nymphs. Only adult females emerged from engorged nymphs, regardless of host species, i.e., none of 120 engorged nymphs molted to male. Around 18% of the unfed females presented teratologies compatible with the metagynander type of gynandromorphism. Ixodes schulzei adult females successfully fed (mean feeding period, 9.4 days), oviposited, and presented high reproductive performance (high engorged weight, egg mass weight, and % egg mass hatching), in the absence of male ticks. Our results showed that I. schulzei successfully reproduces by parthenogenesis, and corroborate field data that indicate N. squamipes as the most important host for this tick species. The male of I. schulzei remains unknown.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Darci M. Barros-Battesti, for providing logistic support for the present study.

Funding

This work was partially funded by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    João F. Soares

  2. Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Thiago F. Martins, Fernanda A. Nieri-Bastos & Marcelo B. Labruna

  3. Departamento de Laboratórios Especializados, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Thiago F. Martins

  4. Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Bem-Estar Animal e Saúde Única, Universidade Santo Amaro, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Herbert S. Soares

  5. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil

    Marcelo B. Labruna

Authors
  1. João F. Soares
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  2. Thiago F. Martins
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  3. Herbert S. Soares
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  4. Fernanda A. Nieri-Bastos
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  5. Marcelo B. Labruna
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marcelo B. Labruna.

Ethics declarations

Animal ethics guidelines regarding animal care were strictly adhered. Ethics approval, protocol 1579/2008, was granted by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (Comissão de Ética e Uso de Animais da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia) of the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Capture of native fauna was authorized by the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment (Sisbio permit No. 16496-1).

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Soares, J.F., Martins, T.F., Soares, H.S. et al. Life cycle of Ixodes schulzei (Acari: Ixodidae) in the laboratory, and demonstration of reproduction by parthenogenesis. Parasitol Res 120, 9–13 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06970-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06970-3

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