title: Palp-splaying behavior and a specific mouthpart site associated with active water vapor uptake in Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae).
abstract: Ticks actively absorb water vapor from unsaturated air via their mouthparts. A wax technique was used to cover select areas of the mouthparts of the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.), to examine whether a specific site is involved in uptake. Covering dorsal, ventral, and distal regions failed to inhibit uptake, whereas wax applied to the proximal region, specifically the hypostome-cheliceral junction, blocked water absorption. A novel occurrence of a palp-splaying behavior was observed during hydrating conditions (93% RH), while ticks were motionless, compared with those held at desiccating conditions (63% RH), which were more active and the palps were not splayed.
authors.affiliation: Science Department, Gaston College, Dallas, NC 28034, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sigal
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Yoder
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Needham
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005260:Female; D009055:Mouth; D013987:Ticks / Q000502:physiology*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water