Abstract: Chemical compositions of ethereal extracts of the body surface of unfed male and female Ixodes persulcatus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) were studied by gas chromatography using mass-spectrometric detection. More than 100 different organic compounds were detected. The predominant components were saturated fatty hydrocarbons, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, aldehydes, squalene, cholesterol and cholesterol derivatives. A number of compounds found in I. persulcatus are known as components of pheromones or constituents of dermal gland secretions in tick species of the genus Amblyomma: nonanoic acid, saturated fatty acids having from 14 to 16 carbons, and squalene. Saturated fatty aldehydes have not been reported previously as body surface components of hard ticks. Substituted phenols were not found in the extracts, although they are known as common components of sex and attraction-aggregation-attachment pheromones in Amblyomma ticks. With a few exceptions (henicosanal, 2,4-holestadiene and two unidentified cholesterol derivatives), there was no marked difference in composition of surface components between male and female I. persulcatus. The possible role of the different chemical groups in communication between I. persulcatus ticks is discussed.

Cite: Tkachev A. , Dobrotvorsky A. , Vjalkov A. , Morozov S.
Chemical composition of lipophylic compounds from the body surface of unfed adult Ixodes persulcatus ticks (Acari : Ixodidae)
Experimental and Applied Acarology. 2000. V.24. N2. P.145-158. DOI: 10.1023/A:1006430323587 WOS Scopus РИНЦ

Identifiers:

Web of science	WOS:000087592900006
Scopus	2-s2.0-0033922610
Elibrary	13341831
OpenAlex	W1483499852

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