Abstract
THE klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus), a small African antelope which lives in specific rocky outcrops, secretes a dark pungent resin-like substance from the ante-orbital glands which is utilised as a means of intraspecies communication1. Marking is carried out by rubbing the ante-orbital glands on a substrate such as the twigs of shrubs on which the secretion is deposited. We have now observed that the adults of the tick Ixodes (Afrixodes) neitzi2 aggregate on twigs which have been previously marked by the klipspringer (Fig. 1). The attractive component of the secretion is water soluble. The capability of the adult tick to detect the klipspringer scent was demonstrated in field observations and with laboratory experiments.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dunbar, R. I. M. & Dunbar, E. P. J. Tierpsychol. 35, 481–493 (1974).
Clifford, C. N., Walker, J. B. & Keirans, J. E. Onderstepoort J. vet. Res. 44, 143–150 (1977).
Rechav, Y., Terry, S., Knight, M. M. & Cross, R. H. M. J. med. Ent. 14, 395–400 (1977).
Rechav, Y., Whitehead, G. B. & Knight, M. M. Nature 259, 563–564 (1976).
Rechav, Y., Parolis, H., Whitehead, G. B. & Knight, M. M. J. med. Ent. 14, 71–78 (1977).
Graf, J. E. Acarologia 17, 436–441 (1973).
Treverrow, R. L., Stone, B. F. & Cowio, M. Experientia 33, 680–681 (1977).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
RECHAV, Y., NORVAL, R., TANNOCK, J. et al. Attraction of the tick Ixodes neitzi to twigs marked by the klipspringer antelope. Nature 275, 310–311 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/275310a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/275310a0
This article is cited by
-
The Fecal Odor of Sick Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) Mediates Olfactory Attraction of the Tick Ixodes hexagonus
Journal of Chemical Ecology (2011)
-
Vertical migration of adult Ixodes rubicundus, the Karoo paralysis tick (Acari: Ixodidae)
Experimental and Applied Acarology (1994)
-
The appetence behaviour of two South African paralysis-inducing ixodid ticks
Experimental & Applied Acarology (1993)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
