Seasonal distribution of larvae and nymphs of Amblyomma tigrinum Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae).

Abstract

The seasonality of immature stages of Amblyomma tigrinum was studied in an area of the Chaco phytogeographical province in Córdoba, Argentina by monthly collection of larvae from ground feeding birds and Sigmodontinae rodents, and nymphs from Caviidae rodents from May 2005 to April 2007. An apparent peak of abundance was found from December to May but differences with other months of the year were not significant (P>0.05). These and previous results suggest that the parasitic stages of A. trigrinum are active throughout the year and has more than one generation per year at the study site. Its life cycle appears to be regulated by temperature with no occurrence of diapause.