Diversity and Geographic Distribution of Dog Tick Species in Sri Lanka and the Life Cycle of Brown Dog Tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus Under Laboratory Conditions.

Of the eight species infesting domestic dogs in Sri Lanka, R. sanguineaus was the most frequently occurring tick species. The three-host life cycle of R. sanguineus was successfully completed within an average of 98 days on New Zealand white rabbits. The number of eggs laid, duration of the pre-oviposition period, incubation period and parasitic periods of all three life stages were lower than in previous records.