Characterization of Microbial Communities in Ixodes persulcatus (Ixodida: Ixodidae), a Veterinary and Medical Important Tick Species in Northeastern China

The importance of ticks in veterinary and medical science has received much attention. The dominant tick species in northeastern China, Ixodes persulcatus tick can transmit various pathogens to humans and animals and there are some studies on the microbiome composition of this tick. Our study characterized the bacterial communities in I. persulcatus by 16S amplicon pyrosequencing and described the differences of microorganisms in male and female tick and assessed the variation of microorganisms in the development stages in northeastern China. We mainly found the following bacteria genera: Pseudomonas (Pseudomonadales: Pseudomonadaceae), Citrobacter (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae), and Rickettsia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae). Rickettsia is common and harmful pathogen transmitted by ticks. Meanwhile, we found there were differences between male and female tick of microbiomes, and the diversity of microbiome increased from engorged female ticks to eggs, but decreased when the eggs were molting into larvae. Our data showed that male ticks exhibited greater microbial diversity than female I. persulcatus tick and larvae presented with a different bacterial community compared to engorged female tick and hatched eggs. These findings may be useful for further understanding the interaction between I. persulcatus and microbiome biology.

Toxicity of Millettia ferruginea (Hochst) Baker against the Larvae and Adult Ticks of Boophilus decoloratus a One-Host Tick in Cattle

<p>The present article reports the <em>in vitro </em>toxicity of the seed of <em>Millettia ferruginea</em> (Berbera) for the first time against the larvae and mature ticks of <em>Boophilus decoloratus.</em> The 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% concentrations of the seed oil were found to kill all (100% mortality) larvae after 16hr, 12hr, 8hr, 6hr and 2hr respectively. The 100% concentration of the petroleum extract (oil) of the seed caused 100% mortality of adult male, adult female and fully engorged female tick after 5hr, 7hr and 12hr respectively. The root and root bark showed less toxicity while leaves did not show any activity. Among petroleum ether, acetone and methanol, the acetone extract showed highest acaricidal activity. <em></em></p>

Assessment of acquired immune response to Rhipicephalus appendiculatus tick infestation in different goat breeds

Changes in serum gamma globulin levels, numbers of replete female ticks and engorged tick mass were used as parameters to monitor the acquired immune response (antibody mediated immune response) elicited by Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adult tick infestations. Three consecutive Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adult tick infestations were applied to South African Indigenous goats (Nguni), Saanen goats and cross-bred goats (Saanen goats crossed with South African Indigenous goats [Nguni]) under laboratory conditions. During the three consecutive Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adult tick infestations the serum gamma globulin levels increased in all three breeds, whilst the mean replete female tick numbers and engorged tick mass decreased. Even though all three goat breeds exhibited an acquired immune response, the South African Indigenous goats (Nguni) response was significantly higher than that of the Saanen and cross-bred goats. However, the acquired immune response elicited by Saanen goats was significantly lower when compared with cross-bred goats.

Female acoustic reply to variation in the male call in a duetting katydid, Scudderia pistillata

Female phaneropterinae katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) commonly reply to conspecific male attraction calls with a brief, broadband acoustic tick. In this paper we describe the complex interaction of the katydid Scudderia pistillata female tick response with the variation in male call, which comprises a bout of increasing length multisyllabic phrases. The female responds to each phrase in the bout with a variable number of ticks. She adjusts her tick response, ranging from 1 to 8, with the number of syllables the male presents, responding maximally to 7–9 syllables per phrase. Females reduce their number of ticks in response to later phrases when presented with to various manipulations of a male bout. By adjusting her ticks in response to variability in the male call, the female potentially provides information to the calling male on her preference for certain call characteristics. The temporal latency for the female to reply is not fixed, but is highly correlated with both the number of syllables she hears, as well as the number of ticks she produces.