Description of four new species of Haemaphysalis Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae) from the H. (Rhipistoma) spinulosa subgroup, parasites of carnivores and rodents in Africa

Syst Parasitol. 2019 Nov;96(8):625-657. doi: 10.1007/s11230-019-09875-7. Epub 2019 Aug 22.

Abstract

Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) bochkovi n. sp., H. (R.) burkinae n. sp., H. (R.) horaki n. sp. and H. (R.) walkerae n. sp. (Acari: Ixodidae), are described based on males and females. Adults of H. bochkovi n. sp. were collected from the marsh mongoose, Atilax paludinosus (Cuvier) (Carnivora: Herpestidae) and the spotted-necked otter, Hydrictis maculicollis (Lichtenstein) (Carnivora: Mustelidae) in Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia; adults of H. burkinae n. sp. were collected from the rusty-spotted genet, Genetta maculata (Gray), the Haussa genet, Genetta thierryi Matschie (Carnivora: Viverridae) and the Cape hare, Lepus capensis Linnaeus (Lagomorpha: Leporidae) in Burkina Faso; adults of H. horaki n. sp. were collected from the Cape dune mole-rat, Bathyergus suillus (Schreber) (Rodentia: Bathyergidae) in South Africa; adults of H. walkerae n. sp. were collected from the striped polecat, Ictonyx striatus (Perry) (Carnivora: Mustelidae), the bat-eared fox, Otocyon megalotis (Desmarest) (Carnivora: Canidae), the aardwolf, Proteles cristata (Sparrman) (Carnivora: Hyaenidae) and the East African spring hare, Pedetes surdaster (Thomas) (Rodentia: Pedetidae) in Kenya. Males and females of these new species can be differentiated from each other and other H. spinulosa-like ticks by their size, pattern of punctations on conscutum/scutum, length of setae, shape and size of genital structures, spiracular plates, basis capituli, dorsal cornua, posterosdorsal and posteroventral spurs of palpal segment II and spur on coxae.

MeSH terms

  • Acari / anatomy & histology
  • Acari / classification*
  • Acari / physiology*
  • Africa
  • Animals
  • Carnivora / parasitology*
  • Female
  • Male
  • Rodentia / parasitology*
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Species Specificity