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Differentiation of Rhipicephalus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) by gas chromatography of cuticular hydrocarbons
A Estrada-Peña1, R Estrada-Peña, J M Peiró
1Unidad de Parasitología, Facultad de Veterinaria, C/Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain.
Abstract:
Gas chromatography of the cuticular hydrocarbons of 4 species of ticks belonging to the genus Rhipicephalus (R. sanguineus, R. turanicus, R. pusillus, and R. bursa) showed a unique pattern for each taxon. The hydrocarbon fractions were composed of a mixture of straight-chain, terminally methylated, and internally branched alkanes; however, only a small quantity of alkenes was detected. Freshly collected, dried, and alcohol-stored specimens of R. sanguineus were analyzed and their patterns found to be nearly identical. Collection of specimens from separate localities demonstrated a species-specific pattern for Spanish material.