CUTICULAR HYDROCARBON-GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY ANALYSIS OF ARGAS-VULGARIS, A-POLONICUS, AND THEIR HYBRIDS

The cuticular hydrocarbon gas chromatography of adult ticks obtained f rom experimental homogamic and reciprocal heterogamic crosses of Argas vulgaris (Vv) and A. polonicus (Pp) confirmed both argasids to be clo sely related species, but easily differentiated by several critical co mpounds. Cuticular mixtures contained variable amounts of n-alkanes, m onomethyl-, and dimethyl-alkanes, without traces of detectable alkenes . Specimens from heterogamic crosses synthesized new high molecular we ight compounds not detected in parental cuticular mixtures. Data on ge netic identity revealed a close proximity of parental adults, but a hi gh distances between and within their hybrids. A relatively high perce ntage of heterozygosity (32.12% in females and 20.00% in males) of F1 Pv generation in comparison with F1 Vp (14.54% and 8.48% respectively) and both P2 generations (6.66-9.09%) has also been ascertained.