Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
just below the litter and laid eggs on the surface of humus. Those released during
dry months from October to June showed a marked burrowing behavior. After
reaching the humus they dug up small pits with their hypostome and forelegs and
burrowed themselves, leaving only the posterior end exposed. The eggs were laid
inside these pits. The lateral and downward progression, including burrowing, was
confined to the first one or two days only. The direction of the movement was zig-
zag and at random. The distance traveled between the release point and egg-laying
site was measured for 23 ticks. All the other ticks were found lying eggs within a
distance of 7.5
30 cm from the place of release.
Pre-oviposition phase: During dry months, when the temperature under the litter
was low (17
1
C), pre-oviposition phase varied from 8 to 11 days. In open areas
they began to lay eggs on the fifth day. During rainy season when the humus tem-
perature was slightly higher (21
6
1
C), it varied from 5 to 8 days. No locomotion
was observed during oviposition and each female laid all eggs in a single mass.
Duration of incubation period varied from 30 to 52 days during dry months and
25
6
40 days during wet months. On the grazing field, development was observed
only from October to December. During monsoon months females and their broods
were washed away by rainwater, and from January to May the eggs shriveled up
under the hot sun. Oviposition continued for 10
17 days.
Unfed larvae: Three broods consisting of 1- to 11-day-old eggs deposited under
the litter in July 1963 completed hatching at the end of August of the same year.
Larvae crawled up and clung in a compact mass to the undersurface of a dry leaf
of the litter. The cluster remained stationary for about a month. All three broods
had begun to dissociate into small clusters distributed within a radius of 7
10 cm
at the end of September. During this process a few larvae crawled over to neighbor-
ing leaves. The process of clustering and declustering continued for a few more
days. The brood had covered a radius of 30 cm. During this movement the area
occupied by the brood increased until nearly all larvae settled under the leaves.
Clusters settled on leaf-tips withdrew to the lower surface on rainy days and
re-occupied the tips as soon as the environment dried. Larvae from these broods
survived till December 10, 1963. Clusters from broods hatched during June and
July stayed longer than those hatched during later months. Larvae hatched in
October and November disappeared from vegetation by the end of March. The
persistence was for 80
130 days. Larvae that hatched in rainy season and stayed
dormant for a considerable period survived for 150
230 days. Irrespective of the
time of hatching, all the broods settled on the vegetation after the monsoon disap-
peared before the end of March.
Engorged larvae: Twenty-one groups of freshly engorged larvae, each with 200
or 300 specimens, were studied in different microhabitats in different seasons from
December 1963 to June 1965. Immediately after release, they crawled in all direc-
tions at random. On forest litter they crawled along the upper surface of the superfi-
cial leaves. After reaching the edges, some dropped to lower layers and some
crawled along the lower surface. Subsequently, all of them penetrated the litter and
settled in the humus after 4
8 days and could
be induced to move by slight disturbance. Later, they became inactive and passed on
6 h. They remained sensitive for 5
