Studies of biological diversity of the tick rhipicephalus appendiculatus (acarina: ixodidae) in relationship to transmission of theileria parva (apicomplexa: Theileridae) in Kenya

Abstract

This study was undertaken to examine whether different poputatIons of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, the African brown ear tick, found inhabiting different geographically isolated zones in Kenya are biologically different to such an extent that they maybe assigned subspecies status. The biological characteristics investigated included size of unfed females, engorgement weights of larvae, nymphs and females, egg production, duration of moulting of larvae and nymphs, isoenzyme studies and comparative transmission of Theileria ~ stocks by .B. appendiculatus. Ticks were collected from five geographically isolated zones in Kenya for investigation. The work was carried out to provide epidemiological information for Fast Coast fever (ECF) control. In this three-host tick species, some significant differences in weights of engorged nymphs and females; size of unfed females, weights of eggs per tick and moulting duration were noted between the different tick stocks. In the case of engorged females, statistical differences were noted between Kilifi (FSI) and Kiambu (FS2); Kilifi and South Nyanza (FS4); and, uasin Gishu(FS3) and Muguga laboratory (MLS) tick populations