The life cycle of Rhipicephalus lunulatus Neumann, 1907 (Acarina:Ixodidae) under laboratory conditions, with notes on its ecology in Zimbabwe.

The durations of the developmental periods of Rhipicephalus lunulatus at 25 degrees C and 87% RH were: preoviposition, 2-9 days; oviposition, 29-34 days; minimum incubation, 11-27 days; nymphal premoult period, 11-23 days; and adult premoult period, 19-30 days. The durations of the feeding periods on a rabbit were: 3-7 days for larvae and 4-11 days for nymphs. Adult feeding was completed on a rabbit and a sheep in 10-22 days in January and 14-64 days in September, and only fertilized females completed engorgement. The mean number of eggs laid by engorged females was 4732, with 95% being laid within the first 16 days. In the southeastern lowveld of Zimbabwe adult ticks were most abundant on cattle between November and December, and their preferred sites of attachment were the legs and tail. Other hosts of adult R. lunulatus were impala (Aepyceros melampus), warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) and eland (Taurotragus oryx).