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The feeding behaviour of larvae, nymphs and adults of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

E. M. Tukahirwa
E. M. Tukahirwa
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
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Summary

The pre-feeding and feeding periods of larvae, nymphs and adults of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus on rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were investigated. Larvae and nymphs required at least 8–9 days after hatching and moulting respectively before they could attach and start feeding, while adults required at least 6–9 days. But longer periods of starvation improved the proportion of ticks that successfully fed.

After attachment, there was always an initial period of slow feeding, which was followed by a phase of very rapid feeding before the engorged ticks detached from the host. Larvae detached 4–5 days after attachment, nymphs detached after 5–6 days and adults detached 7–9 days after attachment.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 72 , Issue 1 , February 1976 , pp. 65 - 74
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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References

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