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Biology and life cycle of Amblyomma incisum (Acari: Ixodidae)

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Abstract

Amblyomma incisum Neumann is a major tick species in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Tapir is the main host for adult ticks and a high aggressiveness of nymphs to humans has been reported. In this work data on the biology and life cycle of this tick species is presented for the first time. It was shown that horse is a suitable host for A. incisum adults and rabbit for larvae and nymphs. It was also shown that A. incisum is a big tick species (mean engorged female weight of 1.96 g) with a long life cycle which lasts 262.3 days when maintained at 27°C and 85% RH. These laboratory conditions were, however, inappropriate and egg hatching rate (1.2%) was very low. Nevertheless egg hatching of ticks in a forest patch increased considerably (72.2%) indicating that this A. incisum population is highly dependent on a forest-like environment.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was given by FAPESP and FUNADESP. Authors would like to thank Parque Estadual Intervales (institution and staff) for logistical support. We are also indebted to Aparecido Dias de Oliveira for guiding researchers inside the park during tick collection. Part of this work has been facilitated through the International Consortium on Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases (ICTTD-3) Coordination Action financed by the INCO program of the European Commission Project No. 510561.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Campus Umuarama-Bloco 2T, Uberlândia, MG, CEP 38400-902, Brazil

    Matias Pablo J. Szabó

  2. Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil

    Lucas de F. Pereira

  3. Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil

    Márcio B. Castro

  4. Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil

    Marcos V. Garcia & Gustavo S. Sanches

  5. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Marcelo B. Labruna

Authors
  1. Matias Pablo J. Szabó
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  2. Lucas de F. Pereira
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  3. Márcio B. Castro
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  4. Marcos V. Garcia
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  5. Gustavo S. Sanches
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  6. Marcelo B. Labruna
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Correspondence to Matias Pablo J. Szabó.

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Szabó, M.P.J., de F. Pereira, L., Castro, M.B. et al. Biology and life cycle of Amblyomma incisum (Acari: Ixodidae). Exp Appl Acarol 48, 263–271 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-008-9234-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-008-9234-y

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