title: The life cycle of Amblyomma auricularium (Acari: Ixodidae) using rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) as experimental host.
abstract: The life cycle of Amblyomma auricularium (Conil) is reported for the first time, using rabbits as experimental host. Developmental periods of free-living stages were observed in an incubator at 27 +/- 1 degrees C, 80 +/- 10% RH and 24 h darkness. The complete life cycle, including pre-feeding periods for each parasitic stage, ranged from 97 to 162 days. The overall sex ratio was 1.16:1 (M:F). Feeding and premolt periods, molting success, and engorgement weight of nymphs were statistically different between males and females (P < 0.01), but because their ranges overlapped, they cannot be used to predict the sex with accuracy. The potential role of rabbits as experimental hosts for rearing A. auricularium in the laboratory is discussed.
authors: Instituto de Veterinária, Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, 23890-000, Brazil. faccinijlh@ufrrj.br
authors: João Luiz H
authors: JL
authors: Faccini
authors: Ana Cristina B
authors: AC
authors: Cardoso
authors: Valeria C
authors: VC
authors: Onofrio
authors: Marcelo B
authors: MB
authors: Labruna
authors: Darci M
authors: DM
authors: Barros-Battesti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012744:Sex Ratio; D013997:Time Factors