Competition for sites of attachment to hosts in three parapatric species of reptile tick.

ABSTRACT

Competition for sites of attachment to hosts by three species of reptile tick, Aponomma hydrosauri, Amblyomma albolimbatum and Amb. limbatum was investigated as a possible cause for the parapatric distributions found in these species throughout southern Australia. Two localities were chosen for detailed study; a boundary between Ap. hydrosauri and Amb. limbatum near Mt. Mary in the mid-north of South Australia and a boundary between Ap. hydrosauri and Amb. albolimbatum near Arno Bay on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. Comparisons of sites of attachment to hosts were made between hosts infested by one species of tick and hosts infested by two species of tick. At Mt. Mary, Ap. hydrosauri and Amb. limbatum adults attach more commonly in the ears and on the midback of their hosts, however, no evidence was found to suggest that competition between the species occurred for these sites. At Arno Bay, Amb. albolimbatum adults had similar sites of attachment to hosts as the other two species, however, significantly more of this species attach in the ears of their hosts. There is no difference in sites of attachment to hosts of Ap. hydrosauri females at Arno Bay and Mt. Mary. Ap. hydrosauri males at Arno Bay, however, show a shift in sites of attachment to hosts away from those sites occupied by Amb. albolimbatum males and females. This shift occurs only in cases where Amb. albolimbatum did not infest the same host. Although the shift in male Ap. hydrosauri sites of attachment to hosts can be explained in terms of past competition, there is no evidence to suggest that such competition in the past, or competition at present, maintains the parapatric boundaries found in these species of thick.