Hosts of Argas cooleyi and Ornithodoros concanensis (Acarina: Argasidae) in a cliff-face habitat.

Abstract

Monthly collections of Argas cooleyi and Ornithodoros concanensis were made from Cliff Swallow colonies and the source of the blood meal in these ticks was determined by precipitin tests using bat, murine, and passerine antisera. Identification of blood meals from A. cooleyi indicate that in a cliff-face habitat this species is parasitic solely on Cliff Swallows. The seasonal availability of hosts for this tick is limited to the 2-1/2 to 3 months that Cliff Swallows annually inhabit these sites. Tests of blood meals from O. concanensis demonstrate that this tick species utilizes either avian or mammalian hosts, and Cliff Swallows appear to fulfill this role during their 2-1/2 to 3 month nesting season. Bats are parasitized for much of the year but most heavily when the swallows are absent. This dual host utilization enables the ticks to obtain blood meals throughout the year.