Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA.
Department of Physiological Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA.
Parasit Vectors. 2021 May 11;14(1):251. doi: 10.1186/s13071-021-04757-8.
Ixodes scapularis ticks are medically important arthropod vectors that transmit several pathogens to humans. The observations of morphological abnormalities, including nanism, missing leg, extra leg, and gynandromorphism, have been reported in these ticks. In this study, we report the presence of two anuses in a laboratory-reared I. scapularis nymph.
Larval ticks were allowed to feed on mice and to molt to nymphs. Two anuses were observed in one of the freshly molted nymphs. Stereo and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of two anuses in one nymph within a single anal groove.
This report confirms the rare occurrence of double anus in I. scapularis.
印加扇头蜱是一种医学上重要的节肢动物媒介,可将多种病原体传播给人类。在这些蜱虫中已经观察到形态异常,包括矮小、缺腿、多腿和雌雄同体现象。在这项研究中,我们报告了在实验室饲养的印加扇头蜱若虫中存在两个肛门的情况。
让幼虫在老鼠身上进食并蜕皮为若虫。在一只刚蜕皮的若虫中观察到两个肛门。立体和扫描电子显微镜证实,在一个单一的肛门沟内,一只若虫内有两个肛门。
本报告证实了印加扇头蜱中罕见的双肛门现象。