Shimizu Kotaro, Shimozuru Michito, Yamanaka Masami, Ito Genta, Nakao Ryo, Tsubota Toshio
Laboratory of Wildlife Biology and Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
Shiretoko Nature Foundation, Shari-gun, Japan.
Parasitology. 2024 Oct;151(12):1317-1325. doi: 10.1017/S0031182024001227. Epub 2024 Nov 15.
Ticks prefer specific feeding sites on a host that are influenced by host–tick and tick–tick interactions. This study focused on the spatiotemporal distribution of ticks in Hokkaido sika deer, an important tick host in Hokkaido, Japan. Tick sampling was performed on the sika deer in the Shiretoko National Park between June and October 2022. Ticks were collected from 9 different body parts of the deer to compare their attachment site preferences. Interspecific and intraspecific relationships among ticks were examined using co-occurrence analysis. The collected ticks were nymphal and adult stages of 4 species: , , and . Seasonal variations in tick burden were observed, with and peaking in June and declining towards October; showing low numbers in July and August and increasing from September; and appearing from September onwards with little variation. Attachment site preferences varied among species, with a significant preference for the pinna in and . was mainly found on the body and legs between June and August, and shifted to the pinna from September. showed a general preference for areas other than the legs. Co-occurrence analysis revealed positive, negative and random co-occurrence patterns among the tick species. Ticks of the same genus and species exhibited positive co-occurrence patterns; showed negative co-occurrence patterns with spp. This study revealed the unique attachment site preferences and distinct seasonal distributions of tick species in the Hokkaido sika deer.
蜱虫偏好宿主上特定的取食部位，这受到宿主与蜱虫以及蜱虫与蜱虫之间相互作用的影响。本研究聚焦于北海道梅花鹿（日本北海道一种重要的蜱虫宿主）身上蜱虫的时空分布。2022年6月至10月期间，在知床国立公园对梅花鹿进行了蜱虫采样。从鹿的9个不同身体部位采集蜱虫，以比较它们的附着部位偏好。使用共现分析研究了蜱虫之间的种间和种内关系。采集到的蜱虫为4种蜱虫的若虫和成虫阶段： 、 、 和 。观察到蜱虫负担的季节性变化， 和 在6月达到峰值并在10月逐渐下降； 在7月和8月数量较少，从9月开始增加； 从9月开始出现且变化不大。不同蜱虫种类的附着部位偏好各不相同， 和 显著偏好耳廓。 在6月至8月主要分布在身体和腿部，9月转移到耳廓。 总体上偏好腿部以外的部位。共现分析揭示了蜱虫种类之间的正、负和随机共现模式。同一属和种的蜱虫呈现正共现模式； 与 属蜱虫呈现负共现模式。本研究揭示了北海道梅花鹿身上蜱虫种类独特的附着部位偏好和明显的季节性分布。
