Nothoaspis reddelli

Nothoaspis Reddelli
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Subclass: Acari
Order: Parasitiformes
Suborder: Tick
Family: Argasidae
Genus: Nothoaspis
Species: N. Reddelli

Discovery

This tick was discovered in 1975 in Campeche, México in a cave by James E. Kierans and Carleton M. Clifford. The tick is very similar to those of the genus Antricola but Nothoaspis reddelli is the only tick species with a false shield on the anterior half of its body; therefore, it elicited both a new genus and a new species.[1]

Life cycle

The most common host of Nothoaspis reddelli is the insectivorous bat Mormoops megalophylla (Mormoopidea). A member of the Argasidae family, N. reddelli, has a multi-host (two or more) life cycle in which it feeds off each host to reach adult form. After hatching, the nymphal instar finds its first host to feed upon. After leaving the initial host, the larva molts and develops into a nymph stage. The nymph then finds its second host for feeding. After leaving its second host, the nymph molts under the cover of shelter once more. The nymph then feeds on a third host. This cycle is repeated for up to seven days, after which the nymph leaves its final host and molts to reach a sexually mature form. Mating and hatching of eggs occurs away from hosts. Mated females oviposit frequently, leaving multiple eggs (though less than 500 eggs per cycle).

Morphology

Females and males have large morphological differences in the hypostomal dentition. Males have two pairs of setae on the Pedipalps. Female Nothoaspis reddelli have one pair of seta. Recently, females of the N. reddelli species have been found and have been studied. The female hood is large, spherical, and can be seen from above. Females also have a spiracular plate, located on the underside of the abdomen near the lungs, shaped like an oval. There is a hole at the origin of the hypostome, or mouth parts. Females have a smooth and hard outer coating on the front half of dorsal surface made up of three large pieces, positioned in a triangle, one in the front and two in the back. For each of these parts, there are two smaller parts on each side. The back of the dorsal surface is arranged into structures similar to cells.[2]

Adult and nymphal N. reddelli have a "false shield" over the anterior half of the body.[3]

Diet and Feeding Behaviors

Nothoaspis reddelli, like all other ticks, must consume the host's blood as food. N. reddelli cannot jump or fly, so it must wait until the Ghost-faced bat is in the right position to latch on. N. reddelli makes a hole in the epidermis of its host and drinks the blood through its hypostome. N. reddelli releases a numbing agent to keep the Ghost-Faced bat from becoming aware of the ticks presence. To keep the blood from clotting, N. reddelli also releases a liquid that contains an anticoagulant. When the tick is finished feeding, it has greatly increased in size. N. reddelli then unlatches itself from the bat and safely disembarks, where it will prepare for its next feeding. If the tick is not already in adult form, feeding on a host often means that a change in stage will occur soon after.

Range and Habitat

At first, it was believed this tick species was endemic to Mexico. It was discovered in the guano of the ghost-faced bat in the Grutas de Xtacumbilxunam caves in Campeche and was later observed in Yucatán and Tabasco. In a very recent study, the Nothoaspis reddelli has also been discovered in Nicaragua. It is not expected to be discovered in areas that are much further away because the habitat of N. reddelli is found nowhere else.[4]

The host, the ghost-faced bat, and thus Nothoaspis reddelli, lives in hot and humid caves. The environment within the cave is very important for the N. reddelli, more important than the distribution of the ghost-faced bat, which is not much of a limiting factor. The cave in which the tick was first discovered is grimy, small, moist, and dark. In this cave, there is also a cenote. The Mayans once lived in the cave, but it is no longer inhabited by humans. There are short, guided tours that pass through the cave, however.[5] All the caves which house the N. reddelli have very little ambient light. They range from completely dark to dimly lit. N. reddelli thrives in temperatures ranging from 32-36 degrees C. (90-97 degrees Fahrenheit)[6]

Diseases

It is currently unknown whether Nothoaspis Reddelli will bite humans to feed off them. It is also unknown if they carry and diseases that could be dangerous to humans.[7]

Original publication

The discovery of Nothoaspis reddelli was first published in the paper:

References

  1. ↑ Keirans, James E.; Clifford, Carleton M. (1975-01-15). "Nothoaspis reddelli, New Genus and New Species (Ixodoidea: Argasidae), from a Bat Cave in Mexico". Annals of the Entomological Society of America 68 (1): 81–85. doi:10.1093/aesa/68.1.81. ISSN 0013-8746.
  2. ↑ "Molecular Identification and Description of the Female of Nothoaspis reddelli (Ixodida: Argasidae) from A Cave in Southeastern Mexico". ResearchGate. doi:10.1645/GE-3146.1. Retrieved 2016-02-18.
  3. ↑ Guzmán-Cornejo, Carmen; Paredes-León, Ricardo; Labruna, Marcelo B.; Nava, Santiago; Venzal, José M. (2012-10-01). "Molecular identification and description of the female of Nothoaspis reddelli (Ixodida: Argasidae) from a cave in southeastern Mexico". The Journal of Parasitology 98 (5): 918–923. doi:10.1645/GE-3146.1. ISSN 1937-2345. PMID 22559313.
  4. ↑ Venzal, José M.; Hernández, Ligia V; Labruna, Marcelo B.; Nava, Santiago. "

    Nothoaspis reddelli Keirans & Clifford, 1975 (Acari, Ixodida, Argasidae): distribution extension

    "    . Check List 11 (4). doi:10.15560/11.4.1698.
  5. ↑ (http://www.JochenDuckeck.de/), Jochen Duckeck. "Show Caves of México: Grutas Xtacumbil-Xunan". www.showcaves.com. Retrieved 2016-02-18.
  6. ↑ "Nothoaspis reddelli Keirans & Clifford, 1975 (Acari, Ixodida, Argasidae): distribution extension". http://biotaxa.org/. The Journal of Biodiversity Data. 2015-07-15. line feed character in |title= at position 62 (help); External link in |website= (help)
  7. ↑ "Tick-Borne Diseases In North America | GORP.com". Gorp.com. Retrieved 2016-02-18.
  1. Keirans, J. E.; Clifford, C. M.; Reddell, J. R. (1977). "Description of the Immature Stages of Nothoaspis reddelli (Ixodoidea: Argasidae) from Bat Caves in Mexico". Annals of the Entomological Society of America 70 (4): 591–5. doi:10.1093/aesa/70.4.591. 
  2. Developmental Cycle. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cvbd.org/en/tick-borne-diseases/about-ticks/developmental-cycle/life-cycles-argasidae/
  3. DPDx- Laboratory Identification of Parasitic Diseases of Public Health Concern. (2013, November 29). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/ticks/#
  4. Keirans, J. E.; Clifford, C. M. (1975). "Nothoaspis reddelli, New Genus and New Species (Ixodoidea: Argasidae), from a Bat Cave in Mexico". Annals of the Entomological Society of America 68 (1): 81–5. doi:10.1093/aesa/68.1.81. 
  5. Guzmán-Cornejo C, Paredes-León R, Labruna MB, Nava S, Venzal JM (2012). "Molecular identification and description of the female of Nothoaspis reddelli (Ixodida: Argasidae) from a cave in southeastern Mexico". The Journal of Parasitology 98 (5): 918–23. doi:10.1645/GE-3146.1. PMID 22559313. 
  6. http://www.biotaxa.org/cl/article/download/11.4.1698/14202
  7. biotaxa.org/cl/article/download/11.4.1698/14202
  8. Venzal, José M.; Hernández, Ligia V; Labruna, Marcelo B.; Nava, Santiago (2015). "Nothoaspis reddelli Keirans & Clifford, 1975 (Acari, Ixodida, Argasidae): distribution extension". Check List 11 (4): 1698. doi:10.15560/11.4.1698. 

External links

copy from this page: http://bios.conabio.gob.mx/especies/10024470

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