Taxonomía de las especies de garrapatas (Acari: Ixodidae) asociadas con bovinos en las provincias de Napo y Pastaza

Abstract

Ixodid ticks are responsible for large socioeconomic losses due to the negative impact caused to cattle, either by the irritation caused by the bite or by their ability to transmit pathogens to cattle. In this research, the taxonomy of tick species (Acari: Ixodidae) associated with cattle in the provinces of Napo and Pastaza was studied. The animals were restrained and inspected to detect the presence of ticks, which were collected manually. The ticks were placed in jars containing 70% alcohol plus 5% glycerin and labeled by host, location and sampling date. The specimens were examined under stereoscopic microscope magnification in the Entomology laboratory of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Technical University of Ambato (UTA) to determine the genus and species based on morphological characters. Two species of ticks associated with cattle were identified in the Napo and Pastaza Provinces, both species belonging to the genus Rhipicephalus. Thus, in this investigation, Riphicephalus microplus (Canestrini) and Rhipicephalus linneai (Audouin) were identified. Of a total of 949 ticks collected, the highest abundance was observed in the species R. microplus, which was found in 94.7% of the samples, while R. linneai represented only 5.3% of the samples. Of the total R. microplus, the highest percentage was female (91.2%), while males and nymphs only represented 8.3 and 0.5%, respectively. Regarding R. linneai, the sex ratio was higher in the abundance of males (66.0%) compared to females (34.0%) and no nymphs or larvae were observed. This research is the first time that R. linneai is reported parasitizing cattle, so detailed studies are suggested to evaluate its potential impact on livestock production.