Larval Hosts 

 Hares (Lewis 193A.) . Man (Pijper and Dau 193^). See APPENDIX. 



BIOLOGY 



R. appendicail atus is a three host tick. In Nyasaland, where 

 there is a single rainy season each year, the brown ear-tick pro- 

 duces one generation a year (Wilson 1946,19508) but in South Africa 

 it may produce one or two generations a year (Loimsbury 1904). In 

 Kenya and Uganda, where two rainy seasons occur each year, multi- 

 plication is faster and two or three generations breed within a 

 twelve months* period (Wilson 1953). As stated in the section 

 on HOSTS above, adults feed on large animals, nymphs attack 

 large or medium size hosts, and larvae appear to prefer small 

 to meditim size animals above the size of usvial rodents. Varia- 

 tion in size and structure of this species, as influenced by 

 hosts and environment, are discussed under REMARKS below. 



Life Cycle 



In Nyasaland, Wilson (195CB) fotmd that under optimum condi- 

 tions of high humidity, from 110 to 129 days are necessary to 

 complete the life cycle. In South Africa, Loxmsbviry reared the 

 brown ear-tick throvigh its life cycle in from 61 to 14-6 days 

 depending on the season. Nuttall (1913B), working in an English 

 laboratory, reared this species in a minimum of 115 days, from 

 preoviposition to preoviposition period, when maintained at 

 between 17°C. and 20°C. 



Nuttall (1913B) summarized his life cycle studies about as 

 follows: R. appendiculatus requires three hosts upon which to 

 feed in its larval, nj-mphal, and adult stages. Larvae usually 

 remain on the host for from three days to a week; when they re- 

 main considerably longer they either do not imbibe blood freely 

 or they may not actually attach on the day on which placed on 

 the host. Engorged larvae drop off up to fifteen days after 

 having been placed on the host. Nymphs remain on the host for 

 five to eleven days. Fertilized, replete females abandon the 

 host after six to fourteen days. Males attach to the animal 

 for longer periods, and unfertilized females may remain on the 

 host up to 24 days. 



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