First record of the parasitoid wasp Ixodiphagus hookeri (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) infesting the tick Amblyomma nodosum (Acari: Ixodidae). 2023

Mariah O M Vecchi, and Rafael Antonio Nascimento Ramos, and Karla Bitencourth, and Maurício B Vecchi, and Maria Alice S Alves
Department of Ecology, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ticks (Ixodida) are ecologically important ectoparasites that may impact human health and economic activities. Parasitoid wasps are natural enemies of ticks and a potential option for its biological control. In the present study, we recorded parasitism of the nymphs of the tick Amblyomma nodosum by the parasitoid wasp Ixodiphagus hookeri. The ticks, in turn, were parasitizing white-bearded manakins, Manacus manacus (Passeriformes: Pipridae) in the União Biological Reserve, one of the last major remnants of lowland rainforest in Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil. During the collection of ectoparasites from two manakins in this reserve, 20-30 parasitoid wasps hatched spontaneously from two of the ticks collected. The species of the tick nymphs and adult wasps were identified using morphological traits and molecular analyses. This record is the first documented case of I. hookeri parasitizing A. nodosum and the first time that parasitoid wasps have been found in ticks parasitizing birds in Brazil. This is also the first record of Ixodiphagus from southeastern Brazil in more than a century, with the only other record dating back to 1914. The record presented here provides valuable new information on the biology of this tick and its parasitoids, and new insights into this interspecific interaction. Further research on these vertebrate-tick-wasp interactions will be necessary to better understand the respective roles of the organisms involved in these processes.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009758 Nymph The immature stage in the life cycle of those orders of insects characterized by gradual metamorphosis, in which the young resemble the imago in general form of body, including compound eyes and external wings; also the 8-legged stage of mites and ticks that follows the first moult.
D001938 Brazil A country located on the eastern coast of South America, located between Colombia and Peru, that borders the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered on the north by Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, on the south by Uruguay, and on the west by Argentina. The capital is Brasilia.
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000082762 Amblyomma A genus of hardbacked TICKS, in the family IXODIDAE. It includes the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, and the Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum, in the Americas. Amblyomma americanum is the primary vector of EHRLICHIA CHAFFEENSIS and EHRLICHIA EWINGII which cause EHRLICHIOSIS. Other Amblyomma-associated diseases include TULAREMIA and RICKETTSIOSIS. Amblyomma americanum,Amblyomma maculatum,Amblyomma triguttatum,Amblyomma variegatum,Aponomma,Gulf Coast Tick,Lone Star Tick,Lone-Star Tick,Ornate Kangaroo Tick,Tropical Bont Tick,Lone Star Ticks,Lone-Star Ticks,Ornate Kangaroo Ticks,Tick, Gulf Coast,Tick, Lone Star,Tick, Lone-Star,Tick, Ornate Kangaroo,Tick, Tropical Bont,Tropical Bont Ticks
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013984 Tick Infestations Infestations with soft-bodied (Argasidae) or hard-bodied (Ixodidae) ticks. Infestation, Tick,Infestations, Tick,Tick Infestation
D013987 Ticks Blood-sucking acarid parasites of the order Ixodida comprising two families: the softbacked ticks (ARGASIDAE) and hardbacked ticks (IXODIDAE). Ticks are larger than their relatives, the MITES. They penetrate the skin of their host by means of highly specialized, hooked mouth parts and feed on its blood. Ticks attack all groups of terrestrial vertebrates. In humans they are responsible for many TICK-BORNE DISEASES, including the transmission of ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER; TULAREMIA; BABESIOSIS; AFRICAN SWINE FEVER; and RELAPSING FEVER. (From Barnes, Invertebrate Zoology, 5th ed, pp543-44) Ixodida,Ixodidas,Tick
D014863 Wasps Any of numerous winged hymenopterous insects of social as well as solitary habits and having formidable stings. Hornets,Yellow Jackets,Hornet,Jacket, Yellow,Jackets, Yellow,Wasp,Yellow Jacket
D046109 Passeriformes A widely distributed order of perching BIRDS, including more than half of all bird species. Passerine Birds,Perching Birds,Bird, Passerine,Passerine Bird,Perching Bird
D026863 Ixodidae A family of hardbacked TICKS, in the subclass ACARI. Genera include DERMACENTOR and IXODES among others. Ticks, Hardbacked,Hard Ticks,Hard Tick,Hardbacked Tick,Hardbacked Ticks,Tick, Hard,Tick, Hardbacked,Ticks, Hard

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