Belozerov V N, Van Niekerk D J, Butler H J B
Biological Research Institute, St. Petersburg State University, Stary Peterhof, 198504, Russia.
Onderstepoort J Vet Res. 2003 Dec;70(4):325-30. doi: 10.4102/ojvr.v70i4.297.
During winter populations of Argas arboreus from heronries of the cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis, in South Africa are composed of adults, with some predominance of males, and II-IV instar nymphs, in a state of diapause. The period of tick activity, including reproduction and development of eggs, larvae and N1 nymphs, is synchronized with the nesting and breeding season of their avian hosts. It begins during spring with the return of birds to the heronry, and ceases in autumn through induction of reproductive diapause in engorged females, and behavioural diapause in unfed nymphs and adult ticks. Many ticks showed morphological anomalies and malformations, the study of which could possibly be used for monitoring of environmental pollution.
冬季，南非牛背鹭（Bubulcus ibis）栖息地的树木蜱（Argas arboreus）种群由成年蜱组成，雄性占一定优势，还有处于滞育状态的II - IV龄若蜱。蜱的活动期，包括卵、幼虫和N1若蜱的繁殖与发育，与它们鸟类宿主的筑巢和繁殖季节同步。活动期始于春季鸟类返回栖息地之时，在秋季通过饱血雌蜱诱导生殖滞育以及未进食的若蜱和成年蜱的行为滞育而结束。许多蜱表现出形态异常和畸形，对其研究可能可用于监测环境污染。
