Makram N. Kaiser

Ticks from European-Asiatic Birds Migrating through Egypt into Africa

From 321 of 7381 birds (28 species), 504 immature European-Asiatic ticks were collected: Ixodes frontalis, Haemaphysalis punctata, Haemaphysalis sulcata, Hyalomma spp. (probably mostly m. marginatum), Hyalomma aegyptium, and Hyalomma m. marginatum. Many additional detaching ticks were eaten by the hosts. Uninfested bird species numbered 29 (998 individuals).

The Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) capensis group (Acarina: Ixodoidea: Argasidae) of the palearctic and oriental regions. O. (A.) maritimus: identity, marine bird hosts, virus infections, and distribution in western Europe and northwestern Africa.

In 1967, Vermeil and Marguet described Ornithodoros coniceps maritimus from larvae reared from larvae taken from marine birds on Dumet Island (Atlantic Ocean), Basse Bretagne, France. We collected O. (A.) coniceps Canestrini, 1890, from the type locality (Venice, Italy) and determined that the taxons coniceps and maritimus each require full species status. We selected a lectotype and paralectotypes for the taxon maritimus from the original Dumet Island material. The larva of maritimus is redescribed and the nymph, male, and female are described for the first time. Collection data are recorded from Dumet and other islands off France, Aegimures Islands off Tunisia, Puffin Island off northern Wales, and Great Saltee Island off Ireland. This tick infests nesting colonies of the common tern, roseate tern, sandwich tern, herring gull (northern and Mediterranean races), common cormorant, shag, razorbill, common murre, black-legged kittiwake, and probably other marine birds nesting nearby. Adults and nymphs (tentatively identified as maritimus but lacking associated larvae for full confirmation) were taken near nests of the little egret in Lake Tunis, Tunisia. Soldado virus was isolated from Puffin Island tick samples and a Soldado-like virus from Great Saltee Island tick samples. An experimental study of West Nile virus in the Tunisian tick population is reviewed. The birds species associated with maritimus in each collecting locality, and their nesting and resting habits and migration patterns in relation to tick and arbovirus survival and distribution, will be reported in the following paper in this series.

Ecology and host-relationships of ticks (Ixodoidea) infesting domestic animals in Kassala Province, Sudan, with special reference to Amblyomma lepidum Dönitz.

Amblyomma lepidum Don., previously incriminated as a vector of heartwater (caused by Rickettsia ruminantium ) among sheep and goats, and possibly camels, in southern Kassala Province, Sudan, is apparently the only Amblyomma species in this area. Systematic collections of all ticks infesting domestic animals were carried out in November 1959, just after the rains, in five ecologically differing areas in the region most severely infected with heartwater. Though rare in desert scrub (north of 16°N. latitude) and only moderately numerous in semidesert grassland (Butana area), incidence of A. lepidum is high in wooded savannah (River Atbara) and in the cultivated Gash Delta, and highest (15·5 per host) in the Acacia seyal savannah of the River Gash. Chief hosts of adults are cattle. Sheep are secondary hosts, and camels, donkeys, and goats are less heavily infested. Two males were taken feeding on humans. Mating (breeding) activity is only slight following the rains (November). Few larvae and nymphs were found during this period; those present were mainly on sheep and goats, with a few on cattle, and these were usually feeding on the hoofs of their hosts. Rhipicephalus s. sanguineus (Latr.), the most numerous and widely distributed tick here, infests chiefly sheep and goats, is common on cattle, and also occurs on camels and donkeys. Mating activity of this species is high in November. Hyalomma dromedarii Koch is equally widely distributed and follows R. s. sanguineus in numbers, but is most frequent on camels, common on cattle, and rare on donkeys and sheep; goats were uninfested. Mating is moderately active at this season. The incidence of H. impeltatum Schulze & Schlottke, which occurs in each zone, equalled that of A. lepidum . Cattle are the chief hosts and camels are secondary hosts; donkeys, sheep, and goats are less frequently infested. Mating activity is moderate in November. Other more or less common tick species on these domestic animals are Boophilus decoloratus (Koch), R. e. evertsi Neum., R. simus Koch, H. anatolicum excavatum Koch, H. truncatum Koch and H. marginatum rufipes Koch, evidence for the status of which as a subspecies of H. marginatum Koch is to be presented in a subsequent paper. Several other rare species are also recorded.

Aride virus, a new ungrouped arbovirus infectingAmblyomma loculosum ticks from roseate terns in the Seychelles

SummaryA previously undescribed arbovirus, proposed name Aride virus, was recovered fromAmblyomma loculosum Neumann, collected from dead roseate ternsSterna dougallii arideensis Mathews in the Seychelles. Some important tick-virus-host associations are discussed.

Bahig virus (Tete group) in naturally- and transovarially-infected Hyalomma marginatum ticks from Egypt and Italy.

Arboviruses of the Tete group (Tete, Bahig, Matruh, Tsuruse) were previously recorded only from avian blood and organs from South Africa, Egypt, Italy, and Japan. We report Bahig virus, identified by complement-fixation and neutralization teats, from 2 subspecies ofHyalomma marginatum (family Ixodidae) ticks. One isolate was from larvae of the African subspecies,H. marginatum rufipes Koch, parasitizing a northward-migrating common wheatear,Oenanthe oenanthe subsp., in Egypt. Other isolates were from transovarially-infected F1 larvae and nymphs reared from an engorged female of the Eurasian subspecies,H. m. marginatum Koch, taken from a race horse near Naples, Italy. Transovarial transmission is relatively rarely documented among arboviruses. BothH. marginatum subspecies have already been implicated as vectors of pathogens causing serious human diseases in Eurasia and Africa. The present findings indicate the need for field and laboratory investigations of Tete group epidemiology and factors possibly involving human infections.

Boophilus kohlsi n. sp. (Acarina: Ixodidae) from sheep and goats in Jordan.

Paratypes. Total: 12 males, 83 females, 50 nymphs. From domestic goats: 1 female, 4NN, Tarkomia, Hebron, 6 September 1958. 6 females, Alsulaime, Salt, 15 September 1958. 1 male, 2 females, 18NN, Irbid, Irbid, 13 October 1958. 6 females, Akraba, Nablus, 11 October 1958. 7 females, Betta, Nablus, 12 October 1958. 3 males, 9 females, 24NN, Toupas, Nablus, 6 October 1958. From domestic sheep: 12 females, Alsulaime, Salt, 15 September 1958. 7 females, Betonia, Ramallah, 7 October 1958. 1 male, Alzahrieh, Hebron, 6 September 1958. 3 males, 6 females, Albadia-Shamalleh, Mafraq, 8 October 1958. 1 female, Alkarm, Jerash, 26 September 1958. 3 males, Alsawieh, Nablus, 2 October 1958. 2 males, 6 females, 2NN, Betta, Nablus, 12 October 1958. 3 males, 16 females, 2NN, Toupas, Nablus, 6 October 1958. Paratypes are deposited in collections of the United States National Museum, British Museum (Natural History), Chicago Natural History Museum, Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Division of Veterinary Services (Onderstepoort), East African Veterinary Research Organization, Department of Zoology (University of Maryland), United States Department of Agriculture (Beltsville), and the writers.