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Occurrence of Ornithodoros kelleyi (Acari: Argasidae) in Kentucky J. E. CILEK AND F. W. KNAPP Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546
J. Med. Entomol. 29(2): 349-351 (1992)
ABSTRACT A new distribution record is established for the tick Ornithodoros kelleyi Cooley & Kohls for Kentucky. Collections of this tick were associated with bat roosting sites in attics of houses. Scanning electron microscopy was used as an aid in distinguishing various taxonomic characteristics and morphological structures of O. kelleyi. KEY WORDS Arachnida, tick, Eptesicus fuscus, Myotis lucifugus
adults and nymphal stages on suckling mice and noted that these hosts showed local hemorraghic lesions with strong edema around the feeding site. In the north-central region of the United States, O. kelleyi has been reported from Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan (O'Connor & Klompen 1988). Scanning electron micrographs of the dorsal surface of our specimens revealed the characteristic mammillae of this genus as well as dorsal circular disks (Fig. 1 and 2). These disks are characteristic of all argasid ticks; however, the central craterlike cluster of disks in O. kelleyi are absent from two morphologically related species [O. turicata (Duges) and O. talajae (Guerin-Meneville] (Sonenshine 1962). High magnification of the dorsal mammillae of O. kelleyi revealed idiosomal setae within a cup-shaped base on the dorsal surface of the mammillae as well as similar paired sets of setae in depressions on the latero-dorsal aspect of the hood (Fig. 3 and 4). Sonenshine (1962) stated that such setae appeared to be hollow spinelike or hairlike structures. We believe that these setae may serve as mechanoreceptors. Paired setae were also numerous along the periphery of these ticks. Only single setae were found on the medial portion of the dorsal surface and these were fewer in number. Single and paired sets of setae were found on adults of both sexes as well as on nymphs. Fig. 5—7 show the ventral aspect of the male, female, and nymphal stage. Setae were present in approximately the same frequency midventrally as middorsally in adults as well as nymphs. As far as we could determine, no scanning electron micrographs of the female or nymphal stage have been published.
0022-2585/92/0349-0351S02.00/0 © 1992 Entomological Society of America
Downloaded from http://jme.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on June 7, 2016
of the tick Ornithodoros kelleyi Cooley & Kohls were received from agricultural cooperative extension agents in Kentucky. This is the first report of this species occurring in Kentucky. One male was submitted from Fleming County on 18 November 1985 whereas eight females, five males, and one nymph were submitted from Nelson County on 10 March 1986. Identification of these ticks was confirmed by J. E. Keirans (U.S. National Tick Collection, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Ga.). Specimens were deposited in the Smithsonian Institution Tick Collection at Georgia Southern University and designated as RML 119910. In each instance the ticks were discovered crawling on the inside walls of homes that had a history of roosting bats [either Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois), the big brown bat; or Myotis lucifugus (LeConte), the little brown bat] in the attics of these dwellings. In both cases the tick infestation was believed to have resulted from a recent exodus of these bats from the attic. It is presumed that when deprived of their host, the ticks migrated into the living quarters of the house to seek other blood sources. The residents did not report being bitten by these ticks. This species has previously been reported to infest human habitations (O'Connor & Klompen 1988). Sonenshine & Anastos (1960) reported that larvae fed readily on laboratory rats, but stated that this species was unlikely to feed on humans and that apparently only nymphs and adults fed on bats. Later, Vargas (1984) reported five cases of this tick biting humans in Costa Rica. Reactions to the bites included itching, papule formation, rashes, localized lesions with severe edema, and pain. He also successfully fed ADULTS AND NYMPHS
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JOURNAL O F MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
Vol. 29, no. 2
Downloaded from http://jme.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on June 7, 2016
Fig. 1-4. O. kelleyi (RML 119910) female: (1) dorsal view; scale, 923 /nm. (2) mid-dorsal disk; scale, 116 /im. (3) mammillae, median dorsal area; scale, 60 jum. (4) mammillae of hood; scale, 53 /im.
March 1992
CILEK
& KNAPP: Ornithodoros kelleyi
IN KENTUCKY
Acknowledgment
. (6) male, ventral view; scale, 116
References Cited
Argasidae) in Michigan. Great Lakes Entomol. 21: 93-94. Sonenshine, D. E. 1962. External anatomy of the bat tick, Ornithodoros kelleyi Cooley and Kohls (Acarina: Argasidae). J. Parasitol. 48: 470-490. Sonenshine, D. E. & G. Anastos. 1960. Observations on the life history of the bat tick, Ornithodoros kelleyi (Acarina: Argasidae). J. Parasitol. 46: 449454. Vargas, M. V. 1984. Occurrence of the bat tick Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) kelleyi Cooley & Kohls (Acari: Argasidae) in Costa Rica and its relation to human bites. Rev. Biol. Trop. 32: 103-107.
O'Connor, B. M. & J.S.H. Klompen. 1988. Occurrence of the bat tick, Ornithodoros kelleyi (Acari:
Received for publication 9 July 1991; accepted 13 September 1991.
The authors wish to thank R. A. Scheibner (Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky) for bringing these ticks to our attention and to H. H. Southgate (Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky) for his technical and photographic assistance with the electron microscopy. The investigation reported in this article (no. 91-7-124) is in connection with a project of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and is published with approval of the director.
Downloaded from http://jme.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on June 7, 2016
Fig. 5-7. O. kelleyi (RML 119910). (5) female, ventral view; scale, 823 /urn. (7) nymph, ventral view; scale, 914 /urn.
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Occurrence of Ornithodoros kelleyi (Acari: Argasidae) in Kentucky J. E. CILEK AND F. W. KNAPP Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546
J. Med. Entomol. 29(2): 349-351 (1992)
ABSTRACT A new distribution record is established for the tick Ornithodoros kelleyi Cooley & Kohls for Kentucky. Collections of this tick were associated with bat roosting sites in attics of houses. Scanning electron microscopy was used as an aid in distinguishing various taxonomic characteristics and morphological structures of O. kelleyi. KEY WORDS Arachnida, tick, Eptesicus fuscus, Myotis lucifugus
adults and nymphal stages on suckling mice and noted that these hosts showed local hemorraghic lesions with strong edema around the feeding site. In the north-central region of the United States, O. kelleyi has been reported from Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan (O'Connor & Klompen 1988). Scanning electron micrographs of the dorsal surface of our specimens revealed the characteristic mammillae of this genus as well as dorsal circular disks (Fig. 1 and 2). These disks are characteristic of all argasid ticks; however, the central craterlike cluster of disks in O. kelleyi are absent from two morphologically related species [O. turicata (Duges) and O. talajae (Guerin-Meneville] (Sonenshine 1962). High magnification of the dorsal mammillae of O. kelleyi revealed idiosomal setae within a cup-shaped base on the dorsal surface of the mammillae as well as similar paired sets of setae in depressions on the latero-dorsal aspect of the hood (Fig. 3 and 4). Sonenshine (1962) stated that such setae appeared to be hollow spinelike or hairlike structures. We believe that these setae may serve as mechanoreceptors. Paired setae were also numerous along the periphery of these ticks. Only single setae were found on the medial portion of the dorsal surface and these were fewer in number. Single and paired sets of setae were found on adults of both sexes as well as on nymphs. Fig. 5—7 show the ventral aspect of the male, female, and nymphal stage. Setae were present in approximately the same frequency midventrally as middorsally in adults as well as nymphs. As far as we could determine, no scanning electron micrographs of the female or nymphal stage have been published.
0022-2585/92/0349-0351S02.00/0 © 1992 Entomological Society of America
Downloaded from http://jme.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on June 7, 2016
of the tick Ornithodoros kelleyi Cooley & Kohls were received from agricultural cooperative extension agents in Kentucky. This is the first report of this species occurring in Kentucky. One male was submitted from Fleming County on 18 November 1985 whereas eight females, five males, and one nymph were submitted from Nelson County on 10 March 1986. Identification of these ticks was confirmed by J. E. Keirans (U.S. National Tick Collection, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Ga.). Specimens were deposited in the Smithsonian Institution Tick Collection at Georgia Southern University and designated as RML 119910. In each instance the ticks were discovered crawling on the inside walls of homes that had a history of roosting bats [either Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois), the big brown bat; or Myotis lucifugus (LeConte), the little brown bat] in the attics of these dwellings. In both cases the tick infestation was believed to have resulted from a recent exodus of these bats from the attic. It is presumed that when deprived of their host, the ticks migrated into the living quarters of the house to seek other blood sources. The residents did not report being bitten by these ticks. This species has previously been reported to infest human habitations (O'Connor & Klompen 1988). Sonenshine & Anastos (1960) reported that larvae fed readily on laboratory rats, but stated that this species was unlikely to feed on humans and that apparently only nymphs and adults fed on bats. Later, Vargas (1984) reported five cases of this tick biting humans in Costa Rica. Reactions to the bites included itching, papule formation, rashes, localized lesions with severe edema, and pain. He also successfully fed ADULTS AND NYMPHS
350
JOURNAL O F MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
Vol. 29, no. 2
Downloaded from http://jme.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on June 7, 2016
Fig. 1-4. O. kelleyi (RML 119910) female: (1) dorsal view; scale, 923 /nm. (2) mid-dorsal disk; scale, 116 /im. (3) mammillae, median dorsal area; scale, 60 jum. (4) mammillae of hood; scale, 53 /im.
March 1992
CILEK
& KNAPP: Ornithodoros kelleyi
IN KENTUCKY
Acknowledgment
. (6) male, ventral view; scale, 116
References Cited
Argasidae) in Michigan. Great Lakes Entomol. 21: 93-94. Sonenshine, D. E. 1962. External anatomy of the bat tick, Ornithodoros kelleyi Cooley and Kohls (Acarina: Argasidae). J. Parasitol. 48: 470-490. Sonenshine, D. E. & G. Anastos. 1960. Observations on the life history of the bat tick, Ornithodoros kelleyi (Acarina: Argasidae). J. Parasitol. 46: 449454. Vargas, M. V. 1984. Occurrence of the bat tick Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) kelleyi Cooley & Kohls (Acari: Argasidae) in Costa Rica and its relation to human bites. Rev. Biol. Trop. 32: 103-107.
O'Connor, B. M. & J.S.H. Klompen. 1988. Occurrence of the bat tick, Ornithodoros kelleyi (Acari:
Received for publication 9 July 1991; accepted 13 September 1991.
The authors wish to thank R. A. Scheibner (Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky) for bringing these ticks to our attention and to H. H. Southgate (Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky) for his technical and photographic assistance with the electron microscopy. The investigation reported in this article (no. 91-7-124) is in connection with a project of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and is published with approval of the director.
Downloaded from http://jme.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on June 7, 2016
Fig. 5-7. O. kelleyi (RML 119910). (5) female, ventral view; scale, 823 /urn. (7) nymph, ventral view; scale, 914 /urn.
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