Displacement of Rhipicephalus decoloratus by Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari : Ixodidae) in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Authors

Nyangiwe, Nkululeko
Harrison, Alan
Horak, Ivan Gerard

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Springer

Abstract

The objective of the study was to establish to what extent the native tick species Rhipicephalus decoloratus had been displaced by the invasive introduced tick, Rhipicephalus microplus at two communally grazed areas in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. To this end ticks were collected monthly from 5 cattle over a period of 2 years and from 10 drag-samples of the vegetation over a period of one year at each locality. Whereas 10 years previously only R. decoloratus and no R. microplus had been recorded in the vicinity of the two sites, R. microplus now comprised the bulk of collections at both. Furthermore, significantly greater numbers of R. microplus were collected from cattle at both localities during the 2nd year of the survey than during the 1st (P<0.05 and P<0.01). In addition to 83 instances of intraspecific coupling, there were 17 instances of R. microplus males coupled with R. decoloratus females. Collections made from cattle and goats on 2 farms close to the study sites revealed that R. microplus was present on both host species and that it significantly outnumbered R. decoloratus on one of the farms (P<0.001). R. decoloratus and R. microplus larvae as well as larvae exhibiting characteristics of both species were collected from the vegetation.

Description

Keywords

Cattle, Rhipicephalus decoloratus, Rhipicephalus microplus, Displacement, South Africa

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Nyangiwe, N, Harrison, A & Horak, IG 2013, 'Displacement of Rhipicephalus decoloratus by Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari : Ixodidae) in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa', Experimental and Applied Acarology, vol. 61, no. 3, pp. 371-382.