Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8507392 | Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases | 2018 | 4 Pages |
Abstract
The corn isotopic signal was easily detectable in the ticks that fed on corn-diet hosts despite the brief feeding period (96Â h). However, we were not able to differentiate between flat Ixodes scapularis nymphs that had fed as larvae on mice vs. those fed on chipmunks. Isotopic signatures of fur from mice and chipmunks were also indistinguishable, probably due to the similar diets of these two species in the wild. We conclude that, while stable isotope analysis of ticks may not be able to distinguish between ecologically similar host species, it may be useful in sorting ticks to the level of feeding guild of the host.
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Authors
Kathleen LoGiudice, Kathryn Kurchena, Katherine Christopher, Natasha Scott,