Discovery[]
This Parasitiformes tick was discovered in 1975 in Campeche, México in a cave by James E. Kierans and Carleton M. Clifford. The tick is very similar to those of the genus Antricola but Nothoaspis reddelli is the only tick species with a false shield on the anterior half of its body; therefore, it elicited both a new genus and a new species.
Life cycle[]
The most common host of Nothoaspis reddelli is the insectivorous bat Mormoops megalophylla (Mormoopidea). A member of the Argasidae family, N. reddelli, has a multi-host (two or more) life cycle in which it feeds off each host to reach adult form. After hatching, the nymphal instar finds its first host to feed upon. After leaving the initial host, the larva molts and develops into a nymph stage. The nymph then finds its second host for feeding. After leaving its second host, the nymph molts under the cover of shelter once more. The nymph then feeds on a third host. This cycle is repeated for up to seven days, after which the nymph leaves its final host and molts to reach a sexually mature form. Mating and hatching of eggs occurs away from hosts. Mated females oviposit frequently, leaving multiple eggs (though less than 500 eggs per cycle).