Species diversity and geographic distribution of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodoidea: Ixodidae) infesting domestic ruminants, in Qazvin Province, Iran

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) Vol. 110; no. 1; pp. 373 - 380
• Main Authors: Shemshad, Khadijeh, Rafinejad, Javad, Kamali, Karim, Piazak, Norayer, Sedaghat, Mohammad Mahdi, Shemshad, Masoomeh, Biglarian, Akbar, Nourolahi, Fathollah, Valad Beigi, Enshallah, Enayati, Ahmad Ali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 2012; Springer
• Subjects: Acari - classification; Animals; Animals, Domestic - parasitology; Arachnida; Biodiversity; Biogeography; Biological and medical sciences; Biological diversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cattle; Ectoparasitic Infestations - parasitology; Ectoparasitic Infestations - veterinary; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; Goats; Health aspects; Host-parasite relationships; Immunology; Invertebrates; Iran; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Original Paper; Phylogeography; Physiological aspects; Ruminants - parasitology; Sheep; Ticks; Iran; Asia; Tick Infestation; Babesiosis; Tick Species; Plain Area; Babesia; Parasitiformes; Species diversity; Arachnida; Acari; Geographic distribution; Ixodida; Arthropoda; Parasite; Ectoparasite; Invertebrata; Ixodidae
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-011-2501-6

This report presents the results of the first faunistic study of hard ticks in Qazvin province of Iran. The primary objective was to determine the species diversity and geographic distribution of hard ticks that parasitize domestic ruminants. Information about the abiotic preferences of these species has been provided. A total of 286 cattle, 1,053 goats, and 2,050 sheep were examined in 13 villages in 28 flocks distributed throughout the studied areas. Total direct body collections of ticks were made from each domestic ruminant. A total of 228 Ixodid specimens belonging to nine species in three different genera were recorded in the areas, including
Boophilus annulatus
(Say, 1821),
Hyalomma anatolicum
Koch, 1844,
Hyalomma asiaticum
(Schulze and Schlettke, 1929),
Hyalomma detritum
Schulze, 1919,
Hyalomma dromedarii
Koch, 1844,
Hyalomma marginatum
Koch 1844,
Hyalomma schulzei
Olenev, 1931,
Rhipicephalus bursa
Canestrini and Fanz, 1878 and
Rhipicephalus sanguineus
(Latreille, 1806). The most abundant species on sheep was
R. sanguineus
(46.92%), while
B. annulatus
(6.6%) found only on cattle. A finding of great significance was that
R. sanguineus
, the main vector of babesiosis, is firmly established throughout the counties. A further objective of the study was to compare the abundance of the major tick species on domestic ruminants. This was carried out at 19 sampling sites. The highest number of ticks was collected in July–August during the hot season.