Maka Murvanidze, Mark Maraun, Jing-Zhong Lu, Levan Mumladze, Nino Todria, Tea Arabuli, Meri Salakaia, Giorgi Kirkitadze
{"title":"Disentangling the effect of tillage, herbicide, pesticide, and temperature change on oribatid mite communities in Georgia.","authors":"Maka Murvanidze, Mark Maraun, Jing-Zhong Lu, Levan Mumladze, Nino Todria, Tea Arabuli, Meri Salakaia, Giorgi Kirkitadze","doi":"10.1007/s10493-025-01033-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-025-01033-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Agricultural practices affect non-target soil fauna either directly or indirectly, e.g. by altering the soil physical structure or by application of chemicals. The effects of tillage, insecticide and herbicide applications on the dominant taxon of soil microarthropods-oribatid mites was studied in two fields over three years (2020, 2021, 2022) at three seasons (spring, summer and autumn). In total 87 species were identified. Herbicide and insecticide application had negative effects on oribatid mite species numbers and abundance; however, tillage mitigated the negative effects of herbicide and insecticide applications, possibly since tillage increases the rate of pesticide degradation and thereby reduces the direct exposure to soil fauna to those chemicals. Insecticides and tillage reduced the number of parthenogenetic individuals, possibly by a decrease of available resources (dead organic matter). Oribatid species richness and density steadily declined from 2020 to 2022 likely due to increased average annual temperature and decreased precipitation associated with global warming. The species richness and density declined from spring to summer and increased again in autumn. The annual decline of the oribatid species richness was expressed by the loss of oribatids with a thin cuticle (Mixonomata, Enarthronota, Oppioidea) and those, who are sensitive towards disturbance (Liacaridae, Ceratozetidae). Dry grassland specific species (Passalozetes africanus, P. perforatus, Scutovertex sculptus) were constantly present in all samples. The study points to the effects of agricultural practices on non-target soil fauna and also on the changes in soil animal communities from meadow to dry steppe species due to global warming.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"95 2","pages":"12"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144283051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jasna Bošnjak-Neumüller, Luis-Miguel Gomez Osorio, Dajana Todorović, Larisa Ilijin, Vesna Perić-Mataruga, Nikola Delić, Aleksandar Stanojković, Marko Pajić, Slobodan Kenežević, Jog Raj, Marko Vasiljević, Olivier Sparagano
{"title":"Essential oils as feed additives: A novel approach to managing poultry red mite infestations and boosting egg production.","authors":"Jasna Bošnjak-Neumüller, Luis-Miguel Gomez Osorio, Dajana Todorović, Larisa Ilijin, Vesna Perić-Mataruga, Nikola Delić, Aleksandar Stanojković, Marko Pajić, Slobodan Kenežević, Jog Raj, Marko Vasiljević, Olivier Sparagano","doi":"10.1007/s10493-025-01035-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-025-01035-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study assessed the efficacy of a plant-based premix of feed additives (PFA) composed of essential oils and vitamins on a farm with 1560 laying hens (ISA Brown line), naturally infested with poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae. The trial lasted 44 days. The AVIVET traps were used to determine PRM mass, number of eggs, larvae, blood-engorged and unfed nymphs, and adults on day - 12, - 5, and 0 before, and on days 2, 5, 8, 11, 15, 23, and 30, after, hens started to consume PFA. Friedman's ANOVA was utilised to identify differences between means, and the post hoc Wilcoxon matched Pairs Test was then employed to ascertain the impact of the tested PFA on the D. gallinae population. From the eighth day until the end of the trial period, a statistically lower mass of mites (P < 0.05), the number of nymphs (P < 0.05) and the number of blood-engorged mites (P < 0.05) were observed compared to day 0. In comparison to day 0, a statistically significantly lower number of eggs (P < 0.01) was observed on day 5 (P < 0.05), day 11 (P < 0.01), larvae on day 23 (P < 0.05) and day 30 (P < 0.01), as well as unfed mites on days 15, 23, and 30 (P < 0.01, P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). Egg production (%, hen-day) in 52-54 weeks of age (control period) was 88.7, while in 55-58 weeks of age (trial period) was 89.5. The results indicate that the tested PFA can control PRM without adversely affecting egg production.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"95 1","pages":"10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144265771","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abdul Rahman Kazim, Van Lun Low, Tiong Kai Tan, Vinnie-Siow Wei Yin, Ariff Ateed Mohd Noh, Chong Chin Heo, Dzulhelmi Muhammad Nasir
{"title":"Morphological and genetic discrepancy of Rhipicephalus sp. (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from the ricefield rat, Rattus argentiventer, in Peninsular Malaysia.","authors":"Abdul Rahman Kazim, Van Lun Low, Tiong Kai Tan, Vinnie-Siow Wei Yin, Ariff Ateed Mohd Noh, Chong Chin Heo, Dzulhelmi Muhammad Nasir","doi":"10.1007/s10493-025-01036-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-025-01036-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rhipicephalus larvae (n = 3) were collected from the ricefield rats, Rattus argentiventer, during a pest control program in Paya Laka, Peninsular Malaysia. Morphological examination indicated that these larvae closely resembled Rhipicephalus pilans, based on features such as the acutely pointed end of palpal segment III and a basis capitulum posterior margin that is wider than the scutal anterior margin. However, molecular analyses of the 12 S rRNA, 16 S rRNA, and COI genes showed that they are closely similar to those of Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. This discordance between morphological and genetic data suggests that there may be multiple species currently classified under the name R. haemaphysaloides.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"95 1","pages":"11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12159086/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144274544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Investigating interspecific mating in the thelytokous predatory mite Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), with comparative observations from three sexually reproducing phytoseiid species.","authors":"Keshi Zhang, Junlin Cao, Xintong Li, Zhi-Qiang Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s10493-025-01034-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-025-01034-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Asexual reproduction can be advantageous in the short term but is generally considered an evolutionary dead end due to the lack of genetic diversity and the accumulation of deleterious mutations. The thelytokous predatory mite Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant) (Acari: Mesostigmata) shows potential for biological pest control, but its reproductive mechanism remains poorly understood. This study examined whether A. herbicolus females have retained mating ability by exposing them to morphologically similar heterospecific males from three sexually reproducing phytoseiid species: Amblydromalus limonicus (Garman & McGregor), Amblyseius lentiginosus Denmark & Schicha, and Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans). No mating or insemination occurred between A. herbicolus females and heterospecific males within 24 h. In contrast, nearly all males successfully inseminated conspecific females in a follow-up observation. Mating behaviours varied across species, with A. lentiginosus showing the longest pre-mating duration and lowest insemination rate, indicating higher mate selectivity. Most Ad. limonicus males inseminated a single spermatophore, while A. lentiginosus and N. cucumeris deposited two spermatophores, suggesting differences in sperm allocation and competition. No correlation was found between male body size, mating duration, and endospermatophore volume, possibly due to the small sample size. This study does not establish whether A. herbicolus reproduces strictly through thelytoky, nor does it exclude the possibility of sexually reproducing populations elsewhere. Further research, including interspecific mating trials with the more morphologically similar Amblyseius largoensis and an investigation into the role of endosymbionts such as Wolbachia, is needed to reveal the mechanisms underlying asexuality in A. herbicolus.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"95 1","pages":"8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12133926/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144208107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mitogenomic evidence for the monophyly of blackcurrant gall mite subfamily Cecidophyinae (Eriophyoidea, Eriophyidae).","authors":"Vladimir D Gankevich, Philipp E Chetverikov","doi":"10.1007/s10493-025-01027-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-025-01027-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Superfamily Eriophyoidea is a group of highly miniaturized and host-specific phytophagous acariform mites closely related to the soil-dwelling nematalycid mites. Limited number of reliable morphological characters, multiple homoplasies, and numerous cryptic species impede systematics of this group. Most recent multigene phylogenies of Eriophyoidea suffer from incomplete sampling, inclusion of erroneous sequences, and unreliable alignments resulting in biologically inconsistent results. In this study, we obtained five new mitogenomes of eriophyoids and reanalyzed the mitogenomic dataset by Zhang et al. (2024) in order to test their conclusion on the polyphyly of the subfamily Cecidophyinae. We found out that it was based on the wrong identification of the phyllocoptine sequence OQ615736 as a cecidophyine taxon. Our analysis showed that a group of seven mitogenomic sequences assigned to cecidophyine genera Cecidophyes, Cecidophyopsis, Coptophylla, Cosetacus, and Glyptacus form a monophyletic group, which was itself divided into two clades corresponding to previously recognized tribes Colomerini and Cecidophyini. However, no mitochondrial gene clusters unique to Cecidophyinae were found. Gene order variability in Cecidophyinae is low and concerns only positions of the control region and tRNA genes trnC and trnI. Analysis of nucleotide diversity showed that three mitochondrial protein coding genes (COX1, COX3 and CYTB) are promising molecular markers for future eriophyoid studies, whereas genes ATP8, NAD4L, NAD5, NAD6 are hypervariable and should be used with caution or even excluded (ATP8) from multigene phylogenetic analyses. Finally, we identified numerous sequences of Eriophyoidea in GenBank with incorrect taxonomic affinities, underscoring the urgent need for a comprehensive revision of all eriophyoid mite sequences deposited in public databases.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"95 1","pages":"9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144208108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fereshteh Bazazzadeh, Parviz Shishehbor, Seyed Ali Hemmati, Elham Riahi
{"title":"Artificial diets for rearing Euseius scutalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).","authors":"Fereshteh Bazazzadeh, Parviz Shishehbor, Seyed Ali Hemmati, Elham Riahi","doi":"10.1007/s10493-025-01030-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-025-01030-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mass rearing of the predatory mite Euseius scutalis (Athias-Henriot) using natural prey is costly and labor-intensive, limiting its application in biological pest control. Artificial diets may serve as alternative food sources; however, some studies should be previously conducted, to evaluate the possible biological consequences of their adoption. In this study, we compared the suitability of eight artificial diets, including a basic artificial diet (A) consisting of a combination of 10% honey, 10% sucrose, 5% tryptone, 5% yeast extract, 10% egg yolk, and 60% distilled water (w/w), along with seven other diets, each consisting of 80% of diet A enriched with date palm pollen (B), Typha pollen (C), Ephestia kuehniella eggs (D), Helicoverpa armigera hemolymph (E), a mixture of date palm pollen and E. kuehniella eggs (F), Tetranychus turkestani adults (G), and hen's liver (H). The data showed that E. scutalis was able to complete its development on all tested diets. Oviposition of the predator was observed on all diets, except for diets E and H. Females reared on diets B and F had the shortest adult pre-oviposition period (APOP), while those on diet B had the shortest total pre-oviposition period (TPOP). Furthermore, the number of oviposition days and fecundity were highest on diets B, D and F. Diets B and F resulted in significantly higher intrinsic (r) and finite (λ) rates of increase than the other diets, with values statistically similar to those obtained on D. The lowest values of r and λ were recorded on diet G. Based on our results, date palm pollen, E. kuehniella eggs or their mixture added to the basic diet A are more beneficial than other options for use in artificial diets for the mass rearing of E. scutalis.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"95 1","pages":"7"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144157438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Juan J Oporta-López, Carlos Eduardo Molina Vargas, Carmen Guzmán-Cornejo, Adriana Troyo, Filipe Dantas-Torres
{"title":"First records of Amblyomma geayi and Amblyomma varium (Ixodida: Ixodidae) parasitizing sloths in Nicaragua.","authors":"Juan J Oporta-López, Carlos Eduardo Molina Vargas, Carmen Guzmán-Cornejo, Adriana Troyo, Filipe Dantas-Torres","doi":"10.1007/s10493-025-01032-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-025-01032-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ticks of the genus Amblyomma parasitize a wide variety of terrestrial vertebrate hosts, including humans. In Nicaragua, 14 species of ticks of the genus Amblyomma have been recorded. To our knowledge, no published records of ticks on sloths exist. However, A. varium, which parasitizes these hosts, was reported without an associated host. During 2023 and 2024, five sloths of two species (Bradypus variegatus and Choloepus hoffmanni) were rescued from four localities belonging to three Departments of Nicaragua. Two species of ticks were collected from the sloths, Amblyomma geayi and Amblyomma varium. Both records of ticks represent the first for Nicaragua in association with sloths. In this way, the richness of ticks of the genus Amblyomma in Nicaragua increases to 15 species.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"95 1","pages":"6"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12119726/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144157524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Haifeng Wang, Tianrong Xin, Chengyu Jiang, Hongyan Wang, Bin Xia
{"title":"The dual role of the RR-2 cuticular protein gene in development and acaricide susceptibility of Panonychus citri (Acari: Tetranychidae).","authors":"Haifeng Wang, Tianrong Xin, Chengyu Jiang, Hongyan Wang, Bin Xia","doi":"10.1007/s10493-025-01029-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-025-01029-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Panonychus citri, a major pest mite globally, causes substantial economic damage in the citrus sector. Due to the prolonged use of acaricides, P. citri has developed resistance; thus, identifying alternative control measures is imperative. The study successfully cloned and characterized three genes from the RR-2 subfamily of cuticular proteins (CP) in P. citri, PcCPR14, PcCPR15.7, and PcCPR16.8. These genes exhibited their highest expression in eggs aged 4 and 5 days and showed relatively high expression in larvae and nymphs on day 1. Inhibitin PcCPR16.8 expression in eggs resulted in only 23% hatching success. Similarly, silencing PcCPR16.8 is inhibited in nymphs led to cuticle rupture and a mortality rate of 81.77%. Silencing in female mites reduced the oviposition rate by 31.06% and significantly decreased chitin content and the expression of key chitin metabolism genes in P. citri. This indicates the crucial role of CP genes in the development and reproduction of P. citri. Moreover, exposure to the acaricides spirobudiclofen and etoxazole typically triggers high expression of PcCPR16.8, and silencing this gene increases the mite's sensitivity to these chemicals. CPs are vital in defending against environmental changes, making them potential targets for developing P. citri control strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"95 1","pages":"5"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144150030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Qingyan Li, Qixiang Peng, Zhuo Li, Guy Smagghe, Gang Li
{"title":"Knockdown of farnesyl pyrophosphate synthetase gene TuFPPS by RNAi extends quiescent period and halts molting of the spider mite, Tetranychus urticae.","authors":"Qingyan Li, Qixiang Peng, Zhuo Li, Guy Smagghe, Gang Li","doi":"10.1007/s10493-025-01031-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-025-01031-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In insects, farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPPS), a pivotal enzyme in the mevalonate pathway, is crucial in the juvenile hormone (JH)/methyl farnesoate (MF) biosynthesis pathway, particularly regulating the molting process. However, its role in the post-embryonic development and molting in Acari remains unclear. This study therefore investigated the function of TuFPPS in the deutonymphal stage of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, an important pest in agriculture. Real time quantitative PCR (qPCR) revealed a significant increase in TuFPPS expression in the middle of the quiescent period (28 h). RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of TuFPPS caused developmental delays, notably extending the quiescent period and delaying the molting process. Ultimately, the treated mites failed to molt and died with 80% mortality at 108 h before molting, while > 90% of the mites in the control successfully molted. To investigate the potential functions of TuFPPS during the quiescent period and molting process in T. urticae, we performed a genome-wide RNA sequencing following RNAi knockdown of TuFPPS. Four genes were identified based on the thresholds of|FC| ≥ 3 and FDR < 0.05, and these are involved in carbohydrate metabolism, fatty acid and lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and ABC transporters. Altogether, our data suggest that TuFPPS plays a critical role in regulating energy transport, intracellular digestion, and energy supply, as seen in ametabolous insects. These findings lay the foundation for further studies of the molecular mechanism of JH/MF in post-embryonic development and molting in mites, and also identify a potential target for pest control, as demonstrated in T. urticae.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"95 1","pages":"4"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144141877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lina C Binder, Carlos E C Fanchini, Herbert S Soares, Matheus P Martins, Igor S Silito, Marcelo B Labruna
{"title":"Vector competence and transovarial transmission of Rickettsia rickettsii in Rickettsia bellii-infected and -uninfected Amblyomma dubitatum ticks.","authors":"Lina C Binder, Carlos E C Fanchini, Herbert S Soares, Matheus P Martins, Igor S Silito, Marcelo B Labruna","doi":"10.1007/s10493-025-01028-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-025-01028-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is endemic in southeastern Brazil, where Amblyomma sculptum is the main vector incriminated in the transmission of R. rickettsii to humans. In many BSF-endemic areas capybaras are the main hosts for A. sculptum and also efficient amplifiers of R. rickettsii for this tick species. Capybaras are also primary hosts for Amblyomma dubitatum, a tick species frequently found infected by Rickettsia bellii but with no records of natural infection by R. rickettsii. The present study aimed to evaluate transovarial transmission and vector competence for R. rickettsii in A. dubitatum naturally infected and non-infected with R. bellii. For this purpose, two A. dubitatum colonies were used, one naturally infected by R. bellii, another with no R. bellii infection. Ticks from both colonies were divided into three experimental groups: group GL (ticks fed on R. rickettsii-inoculated guinea pigs in the larval stage), group GN (ticks fed on R. rickettsii-inoculated animals in the nymphal stage) and group GC (ticks never exposed to R. rickettsii). DNA samples from eight to 20 unfed nymphs and adults fed on each guinea pig, and from all engorged females at the end of oviposition, and from their respective eggs (one pool of 20-50 eggs/female) and larvae (10 larvae/female), were subjected to species-specific qPCR protocols for either R. rickettsii or R. bellii detection. Finally, larvae originating from R. rickettsii-infected females were fed on uninfected guinea pigs. In both A. dubitatum colonies, nymphs from group GL and adults from groups GL and GN were able to transmit R. rickettsii to susceptible animals, confirming vectorial competence and transstadial perpetuation of the pathogen. Further, infection by R. rickettsii was detected in eggs and larvae from 18% to 75% of GN and GL R. bellii-uninfected females, and from 25% to 44% of GN and GL R. bellii-infected females, respectively, confirming the transovarial transmission of the pathogen, regardless of R. bellii infection. Finally, larvae originating from engorged females infected with R. rickettsii were able to transmit the pathogen to susceptible animals, confirming the vectorial competence of ticks infected by transovarial transmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"95 1","pages":"3"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144110270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}