Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
contemporary bird-parasitizing H.(O.) doenitzi of the Oriental region and eastern
New Guinea and Australia.
3.3 Impact of Deforestation, Urbanization, and Faunal
Changes
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It is presumed that all Haemaphysalis ticks were once distributed in forest biotopes
infesting wild animals. As original forest gave way to secondary forests and com-
mercial tree plantations, the composition of the vertebrate fauna also changed.
Larger mammals such as the deer, goral, monkey, bear, jackal, porcupine, and hare
became uncommon and were replaced by domestic cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats.
Various squirrels, mice, rats, and shrews, and ground-feeding birds such as the red
jungle fowl, common peafowl, and crow pheasant remain as potential hosts for
immature stages of ticks. Some species like H. bispinosa evolved into more parasitic
life on domestic animals by changing their diurnal rhythm of drop-off to that of noc-
turnal. Mass breeding of H. bispinosa in cattle sheds has been recorded in many
localities in India. Some competitive species like H. intermedia has adapted to feed-
ing on domestic goats, less competitive species like H. cuspidata and H. aculeata,
are scarce now, consequent to depletion in the wild animal populations as a result of
deforestation. Studies on the impact of ecologic changes due to urbanization on this
prevalence of ixodid ticks in Pune and suburban areas of Maharashtra state of India
have been reported recently. The study indicated that the infestation rates of
H. intermedia and H. bispinosa on domestic animals has come down due to ecologic
changes.
3.4 Seasonal Prevalence
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Seasonality of Haemaphysalis ticks have been extensively studied in the KFD area.
Most of the Haemaphysalis species have a definite stage-wise seasonal activity. In
southern India, Haemaphysalis species show definite seasonality for adults and
immatures, mostly correlated with rainfall. In general, adult population is high dur-
ing the rainy season, followed by larval and nymphal peaks during the post-
monsoon period. The adults of all the Haemaphysalis including H. spinigera in the
KFD area in Karnataka state become active after a few monsoon rains in June. The
adult population reaches its peak during July and August and gradually declines in
September. Larval population, which builds up in the monsoon months, remains
dormant under the forest litter and becomes suddenly active when the litter dries up
during the post-monsoon months (October and November), reaches the peak in
November and December, and gradually declines thereafter. Nymphal activity fol-
lows the larval activity about a month later. Adult population builds up during the
period of nymphal activity but remains dormant until the commencement of mon-
soon showers. The life span of each stage is restricted to one season and the life
