2004
Eisen, Rebecca J.; Eisen, Lars; Lane, Robert S.
Habitat-related variation in infestation of lizards and rodents with Ixodes ticks in dense woodlands Journal Article
In: Experimental and Applied Acarology, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 215-233, 2004, ISSN: 1572-9702.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Borrelia burgdorferi, California, Infestation, Ixodes pacificus, Lizards, Rodents
@article{Eisen2004,
title = {Habitat-related variation in infestation of lizards and rodents with Ixodes ticks in dense woodlands},
author = {Rebecca J. Eisen and Lars Eisen and Robert S. Lane},
url = {https://angelo.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/Habitat-related-variation-in-infestation-of-lizards-and-rodents-with-Ixodes-ticks-in-dense-woodlands-in-Mendocino-County-California_Eisen.pdf},
doi = {10.1023/B:APPA.0000032954.71165.9e},
issn = {1572-9702},
year = {2004},
date = {2004-07-01},
journal = {Experimental and Applied Acarology},
volume = {33},
number = {3},
pages = {215-233},
abstract = {During the spring and early summer of 2002, we examined the relative importance of Borrelia-refractory lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis, Elgaria spp.) versus potential Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.)-reservoirs (rodents) as hosts for Ixodes pacificus immatures in 14 woodland areas (six oak, five mixed oak/Douglas fir, and three redwood/tanoak areas) distributed throughout Mendocino County, California. Lizards were estimated to serve as hosts for 93–98% of all larvae and ≥99.6% of all nymphs infesting lizards or rodents in oak woodlands and oak/Douglas fir sites in the southern part of the county. In redwood/tanoak woodlands and oak/Douglas fir sites in northern Mendocino County, the contribution of rodents to larval feedings reached 36–69% but lizards still accounted for 94–100% of nymphal bloodmeals. From late April to mid-June, I. pacificus larvae were recovered from 95 to 96% of lizards and dusky-footed woodrats (Neotoma fuscipes) and from 59% of Peromyscus spp. mice. In contrast, 99% of lizards but few woodrats (15%) and none of the mice were infested by nymphs. Comparisons of tick loads for 19 lizard–Peromyscus spp. mouse pairings, where the lizard and mouse were captured within 10 m of each other, revealed that the lizards harbored 36 times more larvae and >190 times more nymphs than the mice. In oak woodlands, loads of I. pacificus larvae decreased from late April/early May to late June for S. occidentalis lizards but increased for Peromyscus spp. mice. We conclude that the relative utilization of Borrelia-refractory lizards, as compared to rodents, by I. pacificus larvae was far higher in dry oak woodlands than in moister habitats such as redwood/tanoak and oak/Douglas fir woodlands in northern Mendocino County. Non-lizard-infesting potential enzootic vectors of B. burgdorferi s.l. (I. angustus and I. spinipalpis) were recorded from rodents in three of six oak woodland areas, two of five oak/Douglas fir woodland areas, and two of three redwood/tanoak woodland areas.},
keywords = {Borrelia burgdorferi, California, Infestation, Ixodes pacificus, Lizards, Rodents},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
During the spring and early summer of 2002, we examined the relative importance of Borrelia-refractory lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis, Elgaria spp.) versus potential Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.)-reservoirs (rodents) as hosts for Ixodes pacificus immatures in 14 woodland areas (six oak, five mixed oak/Douglas fir, and three redwood/tanoak areas) distributed throughout Mendocino County, California. Lizards were estimated to serve as hosts for 93–98% of all larvae and ≥99.6% of all nymphs infesting lizards or rodents in oak woodlands and oak/Douglas fir sites in the southern part of the county. In redwood/tanoak woodlands and oak/Douglas fir sites in northern Mendocino County, the contribution of rodents to larval feedings reached 36–69% but lizards still accounted for 94–100% of nymphal bloodmeals. From late April to mid-June, I. pacificus larvae were recovered from 95 to 96% of lizards and dusky-footed woodrats (Neotoma fuscipes) and from 59% of Peromyscus spp. mice. In contrast, 99% of lizards but few woodrats (15%) and none of the mice were infested by nymphs. Comparisons of tick loads for 19 lizard–Peromyscus spp. mouse pairings, where the lizard and mouse were captured within 10 m of each other, revealed that the lizards harbored 36 times more larvae and >190 times more nymphs than the mice. In oak woodlands, loads of I. pacificus larvae decreased from late April/early May to late June for S. occidentalis lizards but increased for Peromyscus spp. mice. We conclude that the relative utilization of Borrelia-refractory lizards, as compared to rodents, by I. pacificus larvae was far higher in dry oak woodlands than in moister habitats such as redwood/tanoak and oak/Douglas fir woodlands in northern Mendocino County. Non-lizard-infesting potential enzootic vectors of B. burgdorferi s.l. (I. angustus and I. spinipalpis) were recorded from rodents in three of six oak woodland areas, two of five oak/Douglas fir woodland areas, and two of three redwood/tanoak woodland areas.