Comments on the validity of Haemaphysalis cinnabarina Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae), a taxon known solely by the type specimens from northern Brazil

• Published in: Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 53 - 55
• Main Authors: Barros-Battesti, Darci M, Onofrio, Valeria C, Arzua, Márcia, Labruna, Marcelo B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Colégio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinária 01-01-2008
• Subjects: Animals; Classification - methods; Ixodidae - classification; PARASITOLOGY; Reproducibility of Results; VETERINARY SCIENCES; Brasil; taxonomic revaluation; Haemaphysalis cinnabarina; Northern Brazil; revalidação taxonômica
• ISSN: 0103-846X; 1984-2961; 1984-2961
• DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612008000100012

The types of Haemaphysalis cinnabarina Koch and its junior synonym H. sanguinolenta Koch, both from State of Pará, Brazil, have been studied. Although H. cinnabarina has been considered a synonym of H. punctata Canestrini and Fanzago (a Palearctic species), they were compared to another closely related species H. chordeilis (Packard) (a Nearctic species). Based on the morphology and geographical distance among of H. cinnabarina, H. chordeilis and H. punctata, we are reasonably sure that all are valid taxa. The lack of additional reports of H. cinnabarina is more related to few investigations in South America, mainly in Northern Brazil, rather than suggesting that it does not exist.