Characterization of the life cycle of the tick Haemaphysalis tibetensis under field conditions in Qinghai-Tibet plateau

The tick Haemaphysalis tibetensis Hoogstraal is found uniquely in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau of Tibet and Gansu of China. Not much is known of this tick. Therefore, in this study we investigated the life cycle of H. tibetensis under field conditions from March 2014 to March 2015 in Damxung County, north Lhasa City in Tibet (Autonomous Region in China). The results of the study demonstrated that the tick H. tibetensis requires an average of 177.8 days (range 129–202 days) to complete a life cycle, with rabbits supplied as hosts in the field plot. Under natural lighting and climate conditions, the feeding period of females was an average of 7.7 days, and the pre-oviposition period was 9.4 days, followed by 28.2 days for oviposition. The premolting period of nymphs lasted 52.7 days, which was the longest life cycle phase. The average weight ratio of engorged to unfed females was 58.2. Additionally, there was a highly positive correlation between the weight of engorged and the number of the eggs that were laid (r = 0.83, P < 0.05). The reproductive efficiency index and reproductive fitness index in females were 5.1 and 4.7, respectively.