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Survival of unfed Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Rhipicephalus zambeziensis adults
Author(s) -
Madder M.,
Speybroeck N.,
Bilounga A.,
Helleputte D.,
Berkvens D.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
medical and veterinary entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1365-2915
pISSN - 0269-283X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2005.00566.x
Subject(s) - ixodidae , biology , acari , tick , range (aeronautics) , rhipicephalus , ecology , zoology , veterinary medicine , medicine , materials science , composite material
Abstract. Two ixodid tick species, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (Neumann) and Rhipicephalus zambeziensis (Walker et al .) (Acari: Ixodidae), both originating from the southern province of Zambia, were used to study the survival time of adults at a range of different humidities and temperatures. In general, the experiment clearly demonstrates the different survival times of the two species in relation to the climatic conditions tested: survival of R. zambeziensis was better under more extreme conditions of temperature and humidity. These findings offer an explanation for the different distribution ranges of the two tick species. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus is more confined to cooler and wetter conditions, whereas R. zambeziensis is adapted to hotter and drier areas.