Table 3 Blood meal identification in questing nymphs from EXTF and PATF in the Province of Trento, Italy
Larval hosts targeted (primer set used)a | Number and percentage of identified hosts in questing nymphs | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Forest type | Total (%)h | ||
EXTF (%)h | PATF (%)h | ||
Rodentia (Muroidea) | 46 (31.7) | 23 (24.5) | 69 (28.9) |
  Apodemus spp. | 44 (30.3) | 23 (24.5) | 67 (28.0) |
  Myodes glareolus | 1 (0.69) | 0 | 1 (0.4) |
  Mus musculus | 0 | 0 | 0 |
  Cricetus griseus b | 1 (0.69) | 0 | 1 (0.4) |
Carnivora (Canidae) | 33 (22.7) | 35 (37.2) | 68 (28.4) |
  Canis lupus familiaris | 28 (19.3) | 23 (24.5) | 51 (21.3) |
  Vulpes vulpes | 5 (3.4) | 12 (12.7) | 17 (7.1) |
Cetartiodactyla (Caprinae, Cervidae) | 30 (20.7) | 11 (11.7) | 41 (17.2) |
  Ovis spp.c,d | 5 (3.4) | 2 (2.1) | 7 (2.9) |
  Rupicapra rupicapra d | 3 (2.1) | 0 | 3 (1.3) |
  Capra hircus c | 2 (1.4) | 0 | 2 (0.8) |
  Bos taurus c | 0 | 3 (3.2) | 3 (1.3) |
  Capreolus capreolus d | 8 (5.5) | 2 (2.1) | 10 (4.2) |
  Cervus elaphus d | 12 (8.3) | 3 (3.2) | 15 (6.3) |
  Dama dama b,d | 0 | 1 (1.1) | 1 (0.4) |
Passeriformes (Passeriformes) | 14 (9.6) | 21 (22.3) | 35 (14.6) |
  Turdus merula | 8 (5.5) | 8 (8.5) | 16 (6.7) |
  Turdus spp./Erithacus rubecula e | 6 (4.1) | 13 (13.8) | 19 (7.9) |
Soricomorpha (Soricidae) | 22 (15.2) | 4 (4.3) | 26 (10.9) |
  Sorex spp. | 9 (6.2) | 0 | 9 (3.8) |
  Sorex araneus | 0 | 0 | 0 |
  Crocidura leucodon | 7 (4.8) | 2 (2.1) | 9 (3.8) |
  Crocidura suaveolens | 6 (4.1) | 2 (2.1) | 8 (3.3) |
  Crocidura russula | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total no. of nymphs analysed | 506 | 342 | 848 |
Total no. of nymphs with identified blood meal | 130 | 85 | 215 |
Total no. of hosts identified | 145 | 94 | 239 |
% identification successf | 25.7 | 24.9 | 25.4 |
No. of mixed blood meals identified | 14 | 9 | 23 |
% of mixed blood mealsg | 10.8 | 10.6 | 10.7 |