Characterization of Haemaphysalis flava (Acari: Ixodidae) from Qingling subspecies of giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis) in Qinling Mountains (Central China) by morphology and molecular markers

PLoS One. 2013 Jul 19;8(7):e69793. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069793. Print 2013.

Abstract

Tick is one of important ectoparasites capable of causing direct damage to their hosts and also acts as vectors of relevant infectious agents. In the present study, the taxa of 10 ticks, collected from Qinling giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis) in Qinling Mountains of China in April 2010, were determined using morphology and molecular markers (nucleotide ITS2 rDNA and mitochondrial 16S). Microscopic observation demonstrated that the morphological features of these ticks were similar to Haemaphysalis flava. Compared with other Haemaphysalis species, genetic variations between Haemaphysalis collected from A. m. qinlingensis and H. flava were the lowest in ITS2 rDNA and mitochondrial 16S, with sequence differences of 2.06%-2.40% and 1.30%-4.70%, respectively. Phylogenetic relationships showed that all the Haemaphysalis collected from A. m. qinlingensis were grouped with H. flava, further confirmed that the Haemaphysalis sp. is H. flava. This is the first report of ticks in giant panda by combining with morphology and molecular markers. This study also provided evidence that combining morphology and molecular tools provide a valuable and efficient tool for tick identification.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • China
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / genetics
  • Geography
  • Ixodidae / anatomy & histology*
  • Ixodidae / classification
  • Ixodidae / genetics*
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Ursidae / parasitology*

Substances

  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Grants and funding

This work was supported in part by grants from Funds of Basic Research Key Program (ZD2012010) and the Fund for the study of controlling parasitic diseases in goats and sheep in Shenmu county (K332021210) to S-KY. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.