Experimental and Applied Acarology最新文献

{"title":"Laboratory evaluation of commercially available and naturally occurring predatory mites against Thrips parvispinus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).","authors":"Paola Villamarin, Philip G Hahn, Yiannis Ampatzidis, Alexandra M Revynthi","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01147-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01147-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Predatory mites are widely used to control major thrips pests in agricultural systems. The invasive Thrips parvispinus represents a challenge to economically important plants, with limited information available on the potential of predatory mites to control it. Eight commercially available predatory mites in the USA: Amblyseius swirskii, Amblyseius andersoni, Amblydromalus limonicus, Neoseiulus cucumeris, Neoseiulus californicus, Euseius degenerans, Anystis baccarum, and Stratiolaelaps scimitus; and four naturally occurring predatory mites in Florida: Proprioseiopsis ovatus, Neoseiulus longispinosus, Amblyseius largoensis, and Amblyseius adhatodae were evaluated. In choice experiments, predators were exposed to pairs of T. parvispinus stages (first instar-L1, second instar-L2, prepupa, pupa, and adult) to assess preference. Subsequent no-choice assays quantified predation and oviposition on the preferred stage: all phytoseiids were offered L1, P. ovatus prepupae, A. baccarum L2, and S. scimitus L2 or prepupae. Prey consumption and oviposition were recorded every 24 h for four days. Neoseiulus longispinosus, A. largoensis, and A. adhatodae did not feed on T. parvispinus. The remaining phytoseiids preferred L1 over L2. Anystis baccarum preferred L2 and adult stages. Stratiolaelaps scimitus showed no stage preference, varying according to the offered stages. When offered L1, the highest predation was recorded for E. degenerans (5.78 L1/day), A. swirskii (4.14 L1/day), and N. cucumeris (3.23 L1/day). When offered L2, A. baccarum consumed 12.88 L2/day and S. scimitus 6.29 L2/day. All predators oviposited when feeding on T. parvispinus. Anystis baccarum produced one mass of 24 eggs, while the highest oviposition was observed for A. swirskii with 1.37 eggs/day. Our results suggest A. baccarum, S. scimitus, E. degenerans, N. cucumeris, and A. swirskii as the most promising predators of T. parvispinus.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148137068","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}

{"title":"Diversity and prevalence of ticks associated to cattle and wild animals in lagoon ecosystems of northern Veracruz, México.","authors":"Anali Elsa Bello-Velázquez, Miguel Ángel Alonso-Díaz, Dora Romero-Salas, Gerardo Suzán, Juan Manuel Pech Canché, Carmen Guzmán-Cornejo","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01145-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01145-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding the diversity of ticks is crucial to comprehending their population dynamics and role in pathogen transmission. Between July 2022 and July 2023, a total of 440 animals were inspected across 35 Cattle Production Units (CPU) adjacent to the Tamiahua and Tampamachoco lagoons in northern Veracruz, Mexico. A comprehensive total of 7,026 ticks, encompassing various developmental stages, were collected; this total includes 5,854 adults (83.3%), 984 nymphs (14%), and 188 larvae (2.7%). The prevalence of cattle infested with ticks was 93.7%, while in wild animals it was 50.9%. Morphological identification revealed the presence of eight species from three genera: Rhipicephalus microplus, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, and six species of the genus Amblyomma (A. auricularium, A. dissimile, A. cf. tenellum, A. mixtum, A. ovale, and A. rotundatum). In wild animals, greater species richness was recorded with A. auricularium being the dominant species. In contrast, only two species were found in cattle. Interaction network analysis showed that A. mixtum has the highest number of associations with different hosts such as Bos taurus, Didelphis virginiana, Dasypus novemcinctus, Procyon lotor and Sylvilagus floridanus, while R. microplus was associated with Bos taurus and D. virginiana. These findings highlight the need to analyze not only species richness and abundance but also the potential for tick exchange among hosts and to correlate tick diversity with pathogen prevalence.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13216078/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148041670","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":"Genetic diversity of Haemaphysalis longicornis populations in China and their symbiotic association with Coxiella R1 strain.","authors":"Weiqing Zheng, Junhua Tian, Hongxia Liu, Haijun Hu, Hongna Chen, Lihua Ma, Yinuo Yan, Jintong Fu, Jinzhi Huang, Yongwei Wen, Siyu Fang, Qianfeng Xia","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01148-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01148-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Haemaphysalis longicornis poses severe global veterinary and public health threats. Its obligate nutritional symbiont, Coxiella R1 (CLE), critically influences reproduction and development. Understanding the interplay between tick genetic diversity and CLE abundance is essential for developing symbiont-targeted control strategies. Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks were collected from 11 locations across nine Chinese provinces. Population genetic diversity and structure were analyzed based on simple sequence repeat (SSR). Coxiella R1 relative abundance in individual ticks was quantified via qPCR. Extensive genetic diversity was detected across Chinese H. longicornis populations using three validated polymorphic SSR markers: mean Ad = 5.667, GD = 0.7052, and PIC = 0.6646. Population structure analysis (K = 2) revealed two distinct genetic clusters. Ticks from Shanghai (Chongming Island) and Jiangsu (Xuzhou City) formed a genetically distinct group, significantly separated in PCoA from populations in Liaoning, Sichuan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang. Phylogenetic analysis supported this clustering but indicated limited geographic structuring overall. Crucially, Coxiella R1 was ubiquitous in all populations, but its abundance varied significantly between regions (P < 0.05, Kruskal-Wallis/Dunn's). CLE levels were highest in Liaoning and Shanghai ticks and significantly lower in those from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Despite the shared genetic ancestry of Shanghai and Jiangsu ticks, their CLE burdens were markedly different. This study demonstrates substantial genetic diversity within Chinese H. longicornis populations and defines a distinct genetic cluster including ticks from Jiangsu and Shanghai. This variation in CLE burden showed no association with the identified tick population genetic structure or geographic distance.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147987170","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}

{"title":"Quantitative assessment of ticks in a hot cave in the Amazon reveals that the genus Antricola (Ixodida: Argasidae) has the highest cave tick population density on planet.","authors":"Flávio A Terassini, Marcelo B Labruna, Sebastián Muñoz-Leal, Luís Marcelo A Camargo, André de A R Aguirre","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01146-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01146-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Within Argasidae ticks, the genus Antricola is restricted to the New World and exhibits a unique biology: only larvae are hematophagous and parasitize bats, whereas nymphs and adults are free-living and supposedly to feed on bat guano in hot caves with high temperatures (30-38 °C) and relative humidity close to 100%. This study quantified the tick population in an Amazonian hot cave located in the Natural Park of Porto Velho (Rondônia, Brazil), inhabited by thousands of insectivorous bats. Standardized guano samples (100 cm² at 10 points) were collected during dry and rainy seasons and examined in the laboratory. The guano-covered area totaled 146.34 m². A total of 7,388 ticks was collected in the dry season and 8,753 in the rainy season, with more than 99% belonging to Antricola, mainly A. delacruzi. The estimated mean density was 80,705 ticks/m², corresponding to an approximate population of 11.8 million individuals on the cave floor-the highest tick density ever recorded in a cave worldwide. Only nymphs and adults were found, suggesting that Antricola eggs and larvae remain in wall crevices, and that rapid larval development, combined with continuous guano feeding, promotes long post-larval longevity. These findings highlight a highly specialized host-parasite dynamic and emphasize the importance of conserving Amazonian cave ecosystems and surrounding forests, which are threatened by deforestation and other anthropogenic pressures.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13194277/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147987118","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":"First report of mitochondrial genomes in Hydryphantoidea: novel genomes, evolution rate, and gene rearrangement patterns in two water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia).","authors":"Xin-Yao Gu, Ping Li, Hao Zhong, Hai-Tao Li, Jian-Jun Guo, Gang Li, Tian-Xing Jing","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01142-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01142-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Water mites are very diverse and species-rich group of invertebrates and also are excellent bioindicators. However, relatively little attention has been paid to their molecular data, limiting our understanding of their evolutionary and phylogenetic relationships. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genomes of Hydrodroma diploflagellis Jin, 1997 and Thyas weichangensis Zhong, 2026 were determined for the first time and analyzed in detail. The mitochondrial genomes of H. diploflagellis and T. weichangensis both contained 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), and two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs). Both species exhibited a pronounced AT bias in their genetic composition. Meanwhile, ENC-plot, PR2-bias, and neutrality plot analysis indicated that the codon usage of PCGs is mainly affected by natural selection. Most tRNAs lacked canonical cloverleaf structures due to the loss of D- or T-arm. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of 15 existing mitochondrial genomes of water mites revealed that the cox1 gene showed the lowest nucleotide diversity and Ka/Ks values, indicating strong purifying selection and sequence conservation. This conservation makes cox1 a reliable marker for species identification and resolving deep phylogenetic relationships, although markers with higher variability may be more suitable for population-level studies. Gene rearrangements occurred in all examined water mite mitochondrial genomes. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial genomes provided support for the classification of superfamily-level taxa. Our findings establish a foundation for future research on the phylogeny and evolutionary history of water mites.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"96 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147867371","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}

{"title":"Stage-specific predation and functional response of predatory mites to greenhouse thrips (Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis) on avocado.","authors":"Junlin Cao, Zhi-Qiang Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01144-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01144-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The greenhouse thrips Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis is a major pest of avocado (Persea americana), causing significant leaf damage and yield losses worldwide. Biological control using predatory mites offers a potentially sustainable alternative to chemical management, yet the effectiveness of different mite species and the role of prey developmental stage remain poorly understood. In this study we compared the predation capacity of four phytoseiid mites-Amblydromalus limonicus, Amblyseius herbicolus, Amblyseius lentiginosus, and Neoseiulus cucumeris-on first- and second-instar larvae of H. haemorrhoidalis under controlled laboratory conditions. No-choice experiments revealed significant differences (p < 0.001) among predator species and thrips stages, with A. limonicus exhibiting the highest predation rates and a strong bias towards first-instar thrips, while the other mite species showed negligible thrips consumption. Choice experiments further demonstrated that A. limonicus exclusively preyed on first-instar thrips when both larvae instars were simultaneously available, confirmed by Manly's preference index (Manly's α = 1). Functional response analysis indicated a Type II functional response of A. limonicus feeding on first-instar thrips, characterised by a high attack rate at low prey densities and saturation at higher densities due to handling time constraints. These preliminary 24 h laboratory results indicate pronounced stage-specific predation under the conditions tested and show that A. limonicus performed better than the other predatory mite species examined. However, because the experiments included no predator-free controls, the findings should be interpreted cautiously and future studies under field or orchard conditions are needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of A. limonicus in H. haemorrhoidalis biocontrol.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"96 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13152977/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147835636","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":"Functional evaluation of Mentha suaveolens and Phlomis fruticosa as reservoir plants of Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) recki (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in tomato biological control strategies.","authors":"M-S Tixier, P Auger, M Douin, A Charalabidis","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01143-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01143-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Effective pest management requires alternative strategies to reduce pesticide use. This study investigates the potential of Mentha suaveolens and Phlomis fruticosa, to act as reservoir plants for the predatory mite Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) recki in tomato crops. Two experiments were conducted in controlled conditions: the first to assess the suitability of these plants for four tomato pests (Tuta absoluta, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, Tetranychus urticae, and T. turkestani) and a second to evaluate the influence of the reservoir plant species, the presence of tetranychid mites on them, and infestation by Aculops lycopersici of nearby tomato plants on predator and tetranychid mites development and dispersal. In experiment 1, neither of the two reservoir plants was favorable to T. absoluta and T. vaporariorum. Mentha suaveolens was favorable to both Tetranychus species, while P. fruticosa was favorable to T. turkestani but much less T. urticae. In the experiment 2, Typhlodromus (A.) recki reproduced and developed on both reservoir plants, even without prey, with higher densities on M. suaveolens. Predators dispersed to tomato plants in all treatments, with consistently higher densities found on tomato plants infested by A. lycopersici. A higher dispersal seems also to better occur when M. suaveolens is the reservoir plant vs. P. fruticosa. The numbers of tetranychid mites remained very low on both reservoir plants and adjacent tomato plants, likely due to efficient predation. These results indicate that both plants can act as reservoirs for T. (A.) recki, even in the absence of prey, but that M suaveolens would be more favorable to adjacent tomato colonization. Further research is needed to optimize predator density and improve reservoir plant configurations for enhanced dispersal.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"96 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147835584","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}

{"title":"High protective efficacy of a recombinant Fer2 vaccine against Dermacentor marginatus infestations.","authors":"Ying Ma, Jiancheng Jiang, Yanying Min, Mingjie Hou, Wenwen He, Licui Wen, Wenyu Shi, Ercha Hu, Qingyong Guo","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01140-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01140-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dermacentor marginatus is an important disease vector in China, yet current control methods remain heavily reliant on chemical acaricides. This study evaluated the vaccine potential of Ferritin 2 from D. marginatus (DmFer2). The DmFer2 gene was cloned, expressed as a recombinant DmFer2 (rDmFer2) in a prokaryotic expression system, and subsequently used to immunize rabbits. Immunization elicited high anti-rDmFer2 antibody titers, which peaked at a detectable maximum of 1:25,600 on day 35, and significantly reduced tick fecundity and altered tick feeding kinetics in challenge trials. Specifically, rDmFer2 vaccination resulted in prolonged engorgement cycle (8.25% relative extension), and reductions in the oviposition rate (19.64%), egg mass weight (43.74%), and hatching rate (38.5%), leading to an overall anti-tick efficacy of 82.1%. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that rDmFer2 is a highly effective vaccine candidate against D. marginatus. Its protective effects are primarily attributed to disrupting tick iron metabolism and interfering with tick feeding dynamics, and provide a theoretical and experimental foundation for the development of sustainable tick control strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"96 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147835631","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}

{"title":"Colony-Level Efficacy of Mentha piperita, Thymus vulgaris and Eucalyptus globulus Essential Oil Nanoemulsions Against Varroa destructor.","authors":"Mustafa Güneşdoğdu","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01141-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01141-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are essential for ecosystem stability and agricultural production; however, one of the most destructive threats to colonies is the mite Varroa destructor. Although conventional chemical acaricides can provide short-term control, resistance development and residue concerns remain major challenges. Plant-derived essential oils have therefore attracted attention as alternative control agents. In this study, the field efficacy of nanoemulsions (NEms) prepared from peppermint (Mentha piperita; P-NEms), thyme (Thymus vulgaris; T-NEms), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus; E-NEms) oils against Varroa mites was evaluated at three doses (50, 100, and 200 ppm), and compared with a positive control (amitraz) and a negative control (no treatment). All tested nanoemulsion formulations significantly reduced Varroa mite density, with the highest efficacy (percentage reduction relative to initial mite counts) observed at the 200 ppm dose. The T-NEms200 treatment exhibited the strongest acaricidal activity (75.3%). Peppermint and eucalyptus NEms also achieved high efficacy. The positive control, amitraz, showed 53.5% efficacy and was less effective than the higher NEms doses, while mite loads increased in untreated colonies. The nanoscale droplet structure of the formulations may have contributed to enhanced contact between active compounds and mites. Overall, these findings demonstrate that essential oil-based nanoemulsions reduced Varroa mite populations in a concentration-dependent manner at the colony level. However, the present study focused on efficacy, and further research is required to evaluate potential effects on bee health, brood development, and residue levels in hive products before practical recommendations can be made.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"96 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13144229/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147835618","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":"Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in Amblyomma gervaisi ticks infesting monitor lizards (Varanus bengalensis).","authors":"Muhammad Naeem, Muhammad Ammar Ameen, Hafiza Misbah Munir, Huma Fatima, Shakir Ullah, Hira Muqaddas, Kasim Sakran Abass, Adil Khan, Furhan Iqbal","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01139-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01139-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Reptiles often inhabit environments that are in close proximity to humans and livestock, creating opportunities for parasite transmission. They are common in areas where they find shelter, food and warmth. The Bengal monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis), a member of the family Varanidae, represents one of the largest groups of extant poikilothermic predators. Monitor lizards are known to harbor several tick species that serve as vectors for a variety of pathogens. No prior information is available in the literature regarding ticks infesting V. bengalensis in Pakistan as well as regarding the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in these ticks. Therefore, we aimed to determine the molecular prevalence of T. gondii in Amblyomma gervaisi ticks (n = 93) collected from 24 V. bengalensis in Buner District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan, between May and September 2023. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified a 300 bp fragment specific for the ITS-1 region of T. gondii in 10 of the 93 (11%) A. gervaisi ticks. DNA sequencing and BLAST analysis confirmed the presence of T. gondii. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these sequences clustered with the ITS-1 sequences of T. gondii detected in reptiles and mammals from Pakistan, Brazil, China, Tunisia and Portugal. The prevalence of T. gondii in A. gervaisi was not limited to a specific tick sex, feeding stage or month of sampling. However, among the tick developmental stages, nymphs had the highest rate of T. gondii infection. In conclusion, for the very first time from Pakistan, we are reporting the presence of T. gondii in A. gervaisi that were infesting monitor lizards. We recommend that similar and large scale studies should be conducted in all those areas of Pakistan that are unexplored for the presence of T. gondii in A. gervaisi ticks. Prevalence of this parasite should also be screened in all the animals harboring these as well as other tick species. This will help in better understanding of T. gondii transmission to new hosts that will lead toward its effective control.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"96 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147812909","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}