Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
7.
Anal grooves distinct, with eyes and festoons, coxa I bifid, male possesses a pair of ada-
nal shields and usually a pair of accessory adanal shields, spiracles bluntly or elongately
comma shaped ................................................................... Rhipicephalus
Anal grooves are obsolete in female, weakly indicated in male, eyes present but festoons
absent, slightly chitinized, spiracles are rounded or oval in both sexes, slightly chitinized
palpi ridged dorsally and laterally, coxae bifid, small male with adanal and accessory
shields ...............................................................................Boophilus
8.
Capitulum long and scutum inornate, male with adanal and subanal shields, palpal seg-
ment II is at least twice as long as segment III, festoons may or may not be present or
they may be partially coalesced, eyes are spherical ..........Hyalomma
Capitulum long and scutum inornate, male with adanal and subanal shields, palpal seg-
ment II is at least twice as long as segment III, festoons may or may not be present or
they may be partially coalesced, eyes are generally flat and nonorbital, scutum ornate,
male without ventral shields...............................Amblyomma
1.4.1 Family Argasidae
General Characteristics
1.
Integument leathery, without a scutum.
2.
Capitulum ventral or subterminal, not visible from the dorsal aspect.
3.
Spiracular plates inconspicuous, located on supra cozal fluid between coxa III and IV.
4.
Palpal articles of more or less equal length, article IV not recessed or subterminal.
With a definite sutural line separating the dorsal and ventral surfaces, lateral
body margins with distinct rectangular discs (marginal discs). Body periphery flat-
tened and usually distinct from dorsum with a definite sutural line separating the
dorsal and ventral surfaces, lateral body margins with distinct rectangular discs
(marginal discs).
Eyes absent, integument of adults and nymphs wrinkled, with numerous tiny folds and
discs .............................................................................................. Argas
Without a definite, sutural line between dorsal and ventral surfaces.
Adults with integument granular, with hypostome vestigial.
Nymphs with integument beset with spines and hypostome well developed.
Hypostomes vestigial ............................................................................................... Otobius
Body periphery undifferentiated. Integument mammillated. Hypostome well developed
with denticles in all stages .............................................................................. Ornithodoros
On the basis of recent molecular taxonomic studies,
Aponomma
has been merged
with
Amblomma
, and
Boophilus
with
Rhipicephalus
.
6
1.5 Biology and Life Cycle
82,90,133
Hard Ticks
Ticks possess many unusual features that contribute to their remarkable success
and vector potential. Hard ticks have three active developmental stages: larva,
nymph, and adults. Soft ticks have two or more nymphal stages. The duration of
