Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2021

DOI

10.1186/s13071-021-04757-8

Publication Title

Parasites & Vectors

Volume

14

Issue

1

Pages

1-5

Abstract

Background: Ixodes scapularis ticks are medically important arthropod vectors that transmit several pathogens to humans. The observations of morphological abnormalities, including nanism, missing leg, extra leg, and gynandromorphism, have been reported in these ticks. In this study, we report the presence of two anuses in a laboratory-reared I. scapularis nymph.

Results: Larval ticks were allowed to feed on mice and to molt to nymphs. Two anuses were observed in one of the freshly molted nymphs. Stereo and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of two anuses in one nymph within a single anal groove.

Conclusions: This report confirms the rare occurrence of double anus in I. scapularis.

Rights

© The Authors 2021.

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original authors and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

Data Availability

Article states: "All data that support the findings reported in this study are included in the main article file and in the supplementary information file."

"The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04757-8."

Original Publication Citation

Taank, V., Lattanzio, F. A., Sultana, H., & Neelakanta, G. (2021). Double anus in an Ixodes scapularis nymph, a medically important tick vector. Parasites & Vectors, 14(1), 1-5, Article 251. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04757-8

ORCID

0000-0001-6290-4150 (Taank)

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