Effect of Temperature on Reproductive Fitness of the Engorged Tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae)
Effect of Temperature on Reproductive Fitness of the Engorged Tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae)
Qingying Jia1, Hui Wang1, Tianhong Wang1, Na Dong1, Shuguang Ren1,2, Xiaolong Yang1, Jingze Liu1,* and Zhijun Yu1,3,*
ABSTRACT
The tick Haemaphysalis longicornis is of great medical and veterinary importance, and can transmit a great diversity of pathogens. The current study investigated the effects of temperature on reproductive fitness of the engorged H. longicornis, results indicated that the engorged H. longicornis could survive all treatments at 0°C and 4°C, and pre-ovipositon periods were prolonged after 0°C, 4°C and 40°C treatment, whereas it was shortened after 37°C stress (P<0.05). The oviposition periods were varied among different temperature treatments, and the 0°C and 4°C treatments showed no influences, whereas the prolonged exposure to high temperatures (37°C and 40°C) led to a shorter oviposition periods which subsequently resulted in a low REI. Most incubation periods of eggs were shortened after temperature treatments on the engorged H. longicornis, and 37°C stress for more than 10 days resulted in no hatchment. Stress at 0°C on engorged ticks caused no effects on egg viability, whereas 4°C and prolonged 37°C and 40°C treatments on engorged H. longicornis decreased the hatchment rate of their eggs. These findings suggest that the tick H. longicornis could adapt a wide range of climate conditions and showed high tolerance to cold and low tolerance to heat.
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February 2018
Vol. 50, Iss. 1, Pages 1-400
