Host-feeding behaviour of Dermacentor reticulatus and Dermacentor marginatus in mono-specific and inter-specific infestations

Table 1 Parameters of the parasitic phase in Dermacentor reticulatus and Dermacentor marginatus females feeding on rabbits in mono-specific and inter-specific groups at 20 ± 3 °C and 38 ± 1 % RH

Species	Variable	Group	M	SD	Min.	Max.	Mann–Whitney U test
Dermacentor reticulatus	AP	mono-specific	2.60	1.43	0.50	5.00	0.9808
	AP	inter-specific	2.66	0.98	0.50	4.50	0.9808
	FP	mono-specific	10.05	0.88	8.00	11.00	0.1202
	FP	inter-specific	9.63	1.55	8.00	12.00	0.1202
	FEW	mono-specific	0.41	0.06	0.31	0.53	0.8361
	FEW	inter-specific	0.42	0.06	0.32	0.55	0.8361
Dermacentor marginatus	AP	mono-specific	1.21	0.97	0.50	5.00	<0.0001
	AP	inter-specific	2.74	1.12	0.50	4.50	<0.0001
	FP	mono-specific	13.15	2.53	10.00	17.00	<0.0001
	FP	inter-specific	9.45	1.30	8.00	12.00	<0.0001
	FEW	mono-specific	0.57	0.13	0.38	0.87	0.0155
	FEW	inter-specific	0.65	0.14	0.40	0.89	0.0155

M mean, SD standard deviation, AP attachment period (h), FP feeding period (days), FEW female engorged weight (g)

ISSN: 1756-3305