Studies on the Salivary Glands of Argas Persicus (Oken, 1818)

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Abstract
The paired elongate salivary glands of male and female Argas persicus comprise 2 types of alveoli, I and II′. Type I alveoli, confined to the anterior 1/3 of the gland, have a fibrillar and finely granular peripheral cytoplasm and a central cavity. Type II′ alveoli contain 2 types of cells, (a) and (i), packed with secretory granules of different sizes. The secretory granules in some of the (i) cells of type II′ alveoli in A. persicus are believed to be the precursor of an anticoagulant which has been demonstrated in the salivary secretion. Accumulation of coarser granules towards the center of type I alveoli during feeding suggests that there is an increase in secretory activity at this time. The peripheral cytoplasm and coarser granules in type I alveoli contain glycogen and protein. In type II′ alveoli, the secretory granules in the (a) cells contain proteins and those in the (i) cells contain both carbohydrates and proteins. In some of the (i) cells the carbohydrate is glycogen while in the rest of the (i) cells it is some other carbohydrate-protein complex which shows B metachromasia after concentrated H2SO4 treatment. The structure and functions of the salivary glands of Argas persicus, which does not produce “cement” during engorgement, are compared with those of some cement-producing ixodid ticks. A. persicus, with alveoli of only 2 types, produces an anticoagulant (demonstrated in its salivary secretion) and probably a cytolysin.

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