Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 2.5
Life Cycle of Haemaphysalis cuspidata
Stage
Phase
Duration (in days)
Female
a
Parasitic
9
15
8
18
Pre-oviposition
25
46
Oviposition
1
8
Post-oviposition
Egg
Incubation
40
55
Larva
b
Quiescent
3
5
Life span (maximum)
156
Parasitic
2
5
Molting
17
21
Nymph
b
Quiescent
3
5
Life span (maximum)
121
Parasitic
2
6
Molting
19
24
Adult
Quiescent
5
10
Life span (maximum)
317
a
Fed on man.
b
Fed on chick.
release. Females repleted and dropped between the 9th and 15th day (from 10 to
22 h). Two rather arbitrarily defined phases of repletion could be recognized. The
first “preparatory phase” lasted until the last but one day of parasitic phase. The
ticks changed their original brown color into cream. The copulation was generally
observed at the end of this phase. The second “repletion phase,” which terminated
with detachment, was of short duration, ranging from 12 to 36 h. The average
weight of blood ingested by the females was approximately 150 times that of their
average unengorged body weight (1 mg). The fully repleted females had a weight
range of 105
190 mg. Males fed exclusively on tissue fluid. The detachment of
females resulted in moderate hemorrhage at the site of attachment. The oviposition
commenced 8
46 days.
Oviposition commenced suddenly, reached a peak between the 2nd and the 15th
day, and terminated gradually. The loss in weight after oviposition ranged from
60% to 75% with an average of 67%; 53% of the entire weight loss was accounted
for the weight of the eggs. The total number of eggs laid ranged from 1,014 to
2,127 with an average of 1,590 eggs/female. The approximate weight of eggs laid
by one female was 50 mg. The females died within 8 days after termination of ovi-
position. Hatching started 40
18 days after detachment from the host, and lasted for 25
55 days after the commencement of oviposition. It
commenced with the oldest eggs laid on the first day and sequentially ended with
those laid on the last day. The duration for hatching of a brood ranged from 25 to
46 days, and was more or less equal to the period taken for oviposition. The maxi-
mum longevity of unfed larvae was about 156 days. Larvae could be fed success-
fully as early as 5
6 days after hatching. The time taken for engorgement was
