title: Seasonal changes in the fatty acid profile of the tick Ixodes ricinus (Acari, Ixodidae).
abstract: Fatty acids (FAs) from nymphs, females and males of Ixodes ricinus were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Ticks were collected from May to October 2013. The most abundant FAs were 18:1, 18:0, 16:0 and 18:2 which are also dominant FAs of insects. Adults contained higher concentrations of FAs in general than nymphs because they contain more fat body and probably a thicker layer of epicuticular lipids. Larger quantities of FAs > 20 carbon atoms in the carboxylic chain were present in females, which generally show higher content of lipids essential for oogenesis, whereas there were similar amounts of 14-18 in both sexes. In September and October, ticks contained large concentrations of the majority of FAs except for 18:1, the most abundant one in ticks collected from May through August. Thus, most FAs, especially those with more than 20 C atoms, tend to increase at lower temperatures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cuber
authors.affiliation: Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland. aleksandra.urbanek@biol.ug.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urbanek
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Evolution, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naczk
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Analysis of Natural Compounds, Department of Environmental Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stepnowski
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Analysis of Natural Compounds, Department of Environmental Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gołębiowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D018884:Ixodes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D011044:Poland; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids
keywords: Fatty acid; GC–MS; Ixodes ricinus; Ixodidae; Temperature; Tick