S. N. SAPRE 103
female. The spermatophores are then ejected.
Finally, after creeping back a little the male
pushes the spermatophores with its mouth¬
parts into the vulva. This performance usually
lasts for several-hours.
Oviposition in O. papillipes
The eggs are deposited in batches at intervals
of a few days. Those of each batch adhere to one
another by means of an agglutinative substance.
This substance soon ceases to be effective as is the
case of O. savignyi [Cunliffe, 1922] and the eggs
become separated. The females usually start
laying eggs about January or February and the
oviposition extends over a period of about four to
five months and in some cases even up to eight
months, the eggs being laid after each feed.
Oviposition is resumed about the same time in the
following year, the tick remaining more or less
quiescent during the intervening period. O.
papillipes has occasionally been observed to lay
eggs at other times of the year, though the number
of eggs in such cases is comparatively small.
When first deposited, the egg is dark brown in
colour; later it becomes dark yellow and finally
pale yellow. When the larva hatches out, the
shell is left behind as a small piece of white
material. The maximum number of eggs laid
by a single individual during its lifetime, at a
temperature of 21°C. and 25°C. is about 737 and
809, respectively. The data in regard to oviposi-
tion are summarized in Table II.
TABLE II
Interval, between copu-
lation and commence-
ment of oviposition
(in days)
Number of eggs deposit-
ed after each feed.
Interval between feeding
and commencement
of oviposition.
Duration of oviposition
after each feed (in
days)
Number of eggs deposit-
ed by one female.
Percentage of fertile
eggs.
Ticks maintained at
21°C.
Maxi-
mum
32
449
176
210
737
88.3
Mini-
mum
16
8
12
4
635
76.7
Aver-
age
23
223.5
48.5
91
681.5
81.65
25°C.
Maxi-
mum
27
580
210
371
808
82.2
Mini¬
mum
15
10
10
11
634
64
Aver¬
age
21.5
296.5
78
116.5
700
74.35
The increase of temperature by 4°C. decreased
the period between fertilisation and oviposition
and increased the average number of eggs deposit-
ed after each feed but. at the same time, the
fertility of the eggs decreased from 81 to 74 per
cent. At 21°C. oviposition ceased when the
female was 510 days old and at 25°C. when it was
485 days old. The oviposition generally occur-
red at night.
It is of interest that the foregoing observations
are in accord with those recorded by Cunliffe and
Nuttall [1921] on the biology of O. maubala,
for these authors write as follows: "Under
laboratory conditions, therefore, the influence
of the temperature factor on oviposition (in the
case of this tick) is very marked, a rise of 8°C.
(from 22°C.) practically doubling the rapidity
of egg production after each meal, but at the same
time reducing the fertility of eggs by 30 per cent."
Longevity of O. papillipes
(a) Females. The longevity of 14 female ticks,
reckoned in days from the date of emergence
from the nymphal stage, was as shown in Table
III.
TABLE III.
Number
of ticks.
4, fed
.
7, fed
.
3, unfed
Longevity in days
Tempera-
ture.
21°C
25°C
25°C
Maximum
697
585
384
Minimum
565
491
272
Average
620.5
543
321
(b) Males. The average longevity of live
male ticks which were periodically fed and kept
at 25°C. was 381 days, the maximum and mini-
mum longevity being 548 and 214 days, respec-
tively.
(c) Nymphs. The observations made on live
unfed individuals of each of the four stages of
nymphs kept at 25°C. are summarized below :—
TABLE III—contd
Stage
1st . .
2nd . .
3rd . .
4th . .
Longevity in days
Maximum
254
296
368
386
Minimum
192
215
290
332
Average
213
251.2
328
369.4
(d) Larvae. The maximum period of survival
from the date of emergence, as observed in 220
unfed larvae kept at 25°C., was 52 days.
Duration of the egg stage
The duration of the egg stage was calculated
in the following way: Eggs laid on each day
were collected and kept separately in small tubes
in the incubator. A history card was attached
to each of the tubes and on this the number of