A. reflexus 91 



ARGAS REFLEXUS. 



Longevity (unfed): Hermann (1804, p. 70) fed a specimen and then 

 kept it unfed in a glass in which it survived 8 months. Bianconi (1867) 

 reports that it survived in a disused hen-coop for fully 8 months. 

 Gulliver (1872) states that specimens survived 5 months unfed in a 

 tin box, and Fullager (1874, p. 121) kept them alive 22 months in a 

 glass-topped box ; unfed larvae lived 6 months. He was informed by 

 Austin that the latter saw them (later stages of the tick) survive 4 — 5 

 years unfed in a box in which they had been placed and forgotten. 

 Berlese kept an unfed specimen alive for about 6 years in a corked 

 bottle. Ghiliani informed Perroncito (1901, p. 568) that he had seen 

 unfed specimens survive for 22 months. Brandes (1897) states that 

 living specimens were found in an abandoned pigeon-coop after the 

 lapse of 2 years. 



Seasonal Prevalence: Schellack (1908, p. 487) in Magdeburg, 

 Germany, found reflexus in fairly large numbers in autumn, but they 

 were scarce in March. 



Feeding Habits, Economic Importance, etc.: Taschenberg (1880, 

 p. 153) states that it remains motionless during the day-time or when 

 exposed to lamplight, this being in accord with the statements of other 

 writers. A few observers record the time occupied by the tick in 

 feeding (meaning nymphs and adults); thus Alt (1892) saw them feed 

 20 minutes on man, and Boschulte (1860), who allowed himself to be 

 bitten by a specimen, states that it took 27 minutes to feed. Obviously, 

 in this respect its habits are similar to those of A. persicus. The larvae 

 are stated by Braun (1895) to remain "some time" on their hosts, from 

 which we may gather that they stay attached for some days as do 

 A. persicus larvae (q.v.). According to Perroncito (1901), the larvae 

 (we assume) occurred in large numbers on the skin of the young 

 pigeons he saw succumb to their attacks. Bianconi (1867) placed 

 4 pigeons in a reflexus-inksied hen-coop, which had been disused for 

 8 months. Two of the pigeons (young birds) died the first day, and 

 the other two (adults) died on the third and fourth days respectively. 

 The pigeons were literally covered by the ticks, and Bianconi attributed 

 their death to exhaustion and loss of blood. Fowls similarly placed did 

 not appear to suffer. The injury they inflict on pigeons are also noted 

 by Megnin, 1880 ; Laboulbene and Megnin, 1882 ; Railliet, 1895 ; 



