Life Cycle of Amblyomma romitii (Acari: Ixodidae) Under Laboratory Conditions.
The life cycle of Amblyomma romitii Tonelli-Rondelli, 1939 is reported for the first time, using rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) for larvae and capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) for nymphs and adults, as experimental hosts. Developmental periods of free-living stages were observed in an incubator at 27 ± 1°C, 80 ± 10% relative humidity (RH), and 24-h darkness. The life cycle of A. romitii in the laboratory could be completed in an average period of 216.4 d. The overall sex ratio (M:F) was 1:1.4. The results showed that rabbits are quite suitable as experimental hosts for the larval stages of A. romitii, while capybaras are suitable experimental hosts for nymphs and adults.
Special Laboratory of the Zoological Collection, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil (gabriel.landulfo@globo.com; darci.battesti@butantan.gov.br), Department of Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil (hermesluz@globomail.com; janio_bio@yahoo.com.br; faccinijlh@globo.com), and.
G A
GA
Landulfo
Department of Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil (hermesluz@globomail.com; janio_bio@yahoo.com.br; faccinijlh@globo.com), and.
H R
HR
Luz
Department of Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil (hermesluz@globomail.com; janio_bio@yahoo.com.br; faccinijlh@globo.com), and.
J S
JS
Sampaio
Department of Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil (hermesluz@globomail.com; janio_bio@yahoo.com.br; faccinijlh@globo.com), and.
J L H
JL
Faccini
Special Laboratory of the Zoological Collection, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil (gabriel.landulfo@globo.com; darci.battesti@butantan.gov.br), Department of Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil (hermesluz@globomail.com; janio_bio@yahoo.com.br; faccinijlh@globo.com), and darci.battesti@butantan.gov.br.
D M
DM
Barros-Battesti
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000254:growth & development*; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000502:physiology; D011817:Rabbits
Amblyomma romitii; capybara; life cycle; tick