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Artificial Feeding in Boophilus microplus (Acari:Ixodidae) through Micropipettes
Author(s) -
VEGA RAFAEL,
DÍAZ GRACIELLA,
FINLAY LAURA
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2000.tb05307.x
Subject(s) - acari , ixodidae , tick , biology , zoology , veterinary medicine , relative humidity , anatomy , ecology , medicine , physics , thermodynamics
A bstract : Newly molted Boophilus microplus females obtained in a laboratory at 30°C and environmental relative humidity (RH) were employed. An original device was used to hold ticks during feeding. Three groups of 15 ticks each were created: unfed, fed with heparinized blood, and fed with defibrinated blood. Ticks were weighed before and after feeding. Females were restricted by group in three isolators attached on the skin of a bovine. Ten sexually competent males were added to each isolator. Time of coupling, tick mortality, time of detachment, and weight of engorged ticks were determined. Engorged females were incubated at 30°C and 100% RH. Periods of nonparasitic phase, laying efficiency, and fertility of eggs were noted. There were no statistical differences between the three groups. This means that feeding with micropipettes does not affect the non‐parasitic phase of B. microplus , the differences between heparinized and defibrinated blood are not significant.