[Development of African ticks Ornithodoros moubata during in vitro rearing].

The suitability of in vitro-feeding for the laboratory rearing of Ornithodoros moubata Murray was tested by the development of about 3,000 first-stage nymphs to the adult stage. At intervals of 3 to 4 weeks defibrinated blood of sheep was fed to the ticks through a parafilm "M" membrane on an electric hot plate. On average 61% of the ticks were found engorged after the feeding. The highest rate of about 78% in the first nymphal stage decreased to about 45% in the fifth. The increase was highest in the second and third stages and lowest in the fifth. The total survival rate in this experiment was about 46%. Losses by the feeding could be reduced by means of some improvements in the experiment.