Ecology and phenology of ticks in Zambia: seasonal dynamics on XXXX .

@entity235 @entity291 @entity742 @entity277
A study of the seasonality and @entity277 rates of ticks was carried out in 11 @entity291 herds in different ecological habitats in Zambia between 1980 and 1982. Wherever possible supplementary data were obtained from opportunistic collections from @entity291 and other hosts. Analysis of over 1000 tick collections from @entity291 indicated that @entity277 rates of the most important species, Amblyomma variegatum and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus vary in different ecological habitats: (i) In Western Province, @entity277 are much lower than elsewhere; (ii) in Central and Southern Provinces, moderate to high @entity277 occur; and (iii) in Eastern Province, R. appendiculatus numbers are generally low and A. variegatum numbers are moderate. These two species, however, have similar life cycles throughout their range with one generation per year. Larvae occur mainly from March to May, nymphae from May to September, and adults of A. variegatum from October to December and of R. appendiculatus from December to April. Boophilus decoloratus appears to have two to four generations per year but is uncommon during the rainy season. In some areas in central Zambia Rhipicephalus compositus adults are seasonally common in September-October whereas Rhipicephalus evertsi is more or less ubiquitous. Low to moderate @entity277 of Hyalomma truncatum and Hyalomma rufipes occur in most areas. At least 14 other less common or rare species of Rhipicephalus, Amblyomma, Haemaphysalis and Ixodes were taken infrequently from @entity291 . These and other host-specific species were also collected from @entity235 , @entity742 , various wildlife hosts and the environment. Infestation rates, seasonality and host-relationships of tick species are discussed in relation to their ecology. Relevant biosystematic and disease relationships are reviewed briefly. The baseline data derived from this study are adequate for integrated analysis with those from other ecological and economic investigations to formulate tick control strategies.
