How to translate text using browser tools
27 December 2023 Identification of soil-dwelling predators of tick nymphs (Acari: Ixodidae) by stable isotope labeling
Dmitry D. Vinogradov, Alexander S. Smagin, Oxana A. Belova, Sergey M. Tsurikov, Galina G. Karganova, Alexei V. Tiunov
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Ticks (Family Ixodidae) spend most of their life cycle as immature stages in the soil and litter, and as any other soil invertebrates, are likely to be controlled top-down by soil-dwelling predators. To date, the ability of soil invertebrate predators to control ixodid tick population remains little known, partly due to methodological difficulties. In the current study, we developed and successfully tested a novel method of labeling live Ixodes ricinus (L., 1758) (Ixodida: Ixodidae) nymphs with a 15N isotope label. Labeled ticks were used in a small-scale 8-day-long microcosm experiment to reveal soil predators attacking nymphs. Only a small fraction (4.1% of all samples) of soil generalist predators preyed upon nymphs. A strong 15N label was found in 5 predator species, namely 2 spiders (Pachygnatha listeri Sundevall, 1830,Tetragnathidae and Ozyptila sp.,Theridiidae), 2 gamasid mites (Pergamasus beklemischevi Sellnick, 1929 and Pergamasus quisquiliarum [Canestrini, 1882], Parasitidae), and 1 staphylinid beetle (Geostiba circellaris [Gravenhorst, 1806], Staphylinidae).The isotopic labeling can be a useful tool in revealing a range of invertebrate predators that can control tick populations in soil.

Dmitry D. Vinogradov, Alexander S. Smagin, Oxana A. Belova, Sergey M. Tsurikov, Galina G. Karganova, and Alexei V. Tiunov "Identification of soil-dwelling predators of tick nymphs (Acari: Ixodidae) by stable isotope labeling," Journal of Medical Entomology 61(2), 512-516, (27 December 2023). https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjad160
Received: 28 July 2023; Accepted: 4 December 2023; Published: 27 December 2023
JOURNAL ARTICLE
5 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
Ixodes ricinus
laboratory experiment
natural enemies
soil food webs
tick ecology
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top