Record Longevity and Reproduction of an African Tick, Argas brumpti (Ixodida: Argasidae)

Argas brumpti Neumann is a large argasid (soft) tick that inhabits the drier areas of eastern and southern Africa. This species typically feeds on a wide variety of small to large mammals (including humans) and lizards, and resides in shallow caves, rocky areas, or dust-bath areas used by large mamm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical entomology 2022-03, Vol.59 (2), p.777-778
Main Author: Shepherd, Julian G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Argas
Argas brumpti
Argasidae
Caves
Female
Females
Kenya
Lizards
Longevity
Male
Mammals
Progeny
Reproduction
Reproduction (biology)
SHORT COMMUNICATION
soft tick
Species
sperm storage
Ticks
Zoological research
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Description
Summary:Argas brumpti Neumann is a large argasid (soft) tick that inhabits the drier areas of eastern and southern Africa. This species typically feeds on a wide variety of small to large mammals (including humans) and lizards, and resides in shallow caves, rocky areas, or dust-bath areas used by large mammals. Individuals of this species, collected as nymphs and adults from a semidesert area of Kenya and subsequently maintained under constant conditions in the laboratory, survived for 27 yr. Furthermore, after 8 yr of starvation and at least 4 yr after the last male died, at least one female laid eggs.The progeny developed into considerable numbers of both males and females, some of which are still living after 26 yr.The longevity of these ticks is apparently a record for any species of tick. The delay in reproduction likely represents long-term storage of viable sperm, also apparently a record for any species of tick.
ISSN:0022-2585
1938-2928
DOI:10.1093/jme/tjab205