1. Fine-scale tuning exophilic tick (Acari: Ixodidae) population dynamics in northern Spain
Francisco Ruiz-Fons1, Alberto Espí2, Jesús F. Barandika3, Ana del Cerro2, Ana Hurtado3, José Miguel Prieto2, Ana L. García-Pérez3
1Health & Biotechnology (SaBio) Group, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM); Ciudad Real, Spain
2Animal Biotechnology Centre SERIDA, Gijón, Spain
3Department of Animal Health, NEIKER, Bizkaia, Spain

2. Background Ixodes ricinus distribution and abundance, peninsular Spain
Absent
Abundant
Ixodes ricinus distribution and abundance, peninsular Spain
Source: A. Estrada-Peña

3. Background Ixodes ricinus distribution and abundance, peninsular Spain
Absent
Abundant
Ixodes ricinus distribution and abundance, peninsular Spain
Source: A. Estrada-Peña

4. Background

5. DESCRIPTIVE STUDY!! Aims
Determine fortnight activity patterns of exophilic tick species in diverse Iberian Atlantic environments to predict temporal variations in questing tick densities (QTD) and potentiality for pathogen transmission
Identify main environmental (climate, habitat, orography, soil, …) and host (population & individual) factors influencing fornight/monthly QTD per species and stage; independent and joing models for the study areas. Estimate the relative weight of each factor on QTD variation (Variation partitioning)
Model validation and cross-validation ; estimate predictive power of each model over QTD data - this study and previous data ( , & in Basque Country)
Rasterize best predictive model to Atlantic Spain in a fortnight and monthly basis for the main period of tick activiy
DESCRIPTIVE STUDY!!

6. Methodological approach
“El Sueve” mountain chain

7. Methodological approach
“Entzia” mountain chain

8. Results Ixodes ricinus
Total
Larvae
Nymphs
Adults

9. Results Haemaphysalis punctata
Total
Larvae
Nymphs
Adults

10. Results Haemaphysalis concinna
Total
Larvae
Nymphs
Adults

11. Results Rhipicephalus bursa & Haemaphysalis inermis
Larvae
Adults
Adults
Adults

12. Results Dermacentor reticulatus & marginatus
Adults
Adults

13. Thanks for your attention!
Acknowledgements
Thanks for your attention!