Oviposition capacity and egg mass to fecundity weight ratios in laboratory cultured amblyoma variegatum fabricius, 1794 (Acari: Ixodida)

We studied the reproductive characteristics of female Amblyoma variegatum in the laboratory. These included variations in engorged weight, percentage body mass due to eggs, and quantity of eggs an engorged female could lay. The results showed that different volumes of blood meals would be consumed by the same progeny of Am. variegatum female ticks leading to different engorged weights. The study revealed that in Am. variegatum egg mass could account for as high as 51% of the engorged body weight. The female tick could also oviposit as high as 31,487 eggs and also as low as 2421 eggs in same study cohorts. The study also showed that the actual engorged weight might not reflect the actual ovipositing capacity of the tick. Only the weight of the egg mass laid determined the actual quantity of eggs.

کلیدواژه ها:

Ticks ، Characteristics ، Livestock ، Vector ، Oviposit ، Obligate