ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

Species composition and geographic distribution of ticks infesting cattle, goats and dogs in a temperate and in a subtropical region of south-east Africa

 

 

I.G. Horak^I; N. Nyangiwe^II; C. De Matos^III; L. Neves^IV

^IDepartment of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa; and Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloem fontein, 9300 South Africa
^IIDöhne Agricultural Development Institute, Private Bag X15, Stutterheim, 4930 South Africa, and Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
^IIIDirecção de Ciencias Animais, Instituto de Investigação Agrária de Mozambique, C.P. 1922, Maputo, Mozambique; and Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
^IVFaculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, C.P. 257, Maputo, Mozambique

 

 

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ABSTRACT

The species and distribution of ticks infesting cattle, goats and dogs in the eastern region of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa and Maputo Province, Mozambique were determined from collections made from these animals at 72 localities in the former region and 30 in the latter. Eleven ixodid and one argasid species were recovered in the Eastern Cape Province and 15 ixodid species in Maputo Province. The most common ticks infesting cattle and goats in both provinces were Amblyomma hebraeum, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi. The dominant species on dogs were Haemaphysalis elliptica and Rhipicephalus simus. The geographic distributions of the major species and some of the minor species in both regions were plotted. The partial or complete displacement of the indigenous tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus by the introduced species R. (B.) microplus was a major feature of both surveys.

Keywords: Cattle, dogs, Eastern Cape Province, geographic distribution, goats, ixodid ticks, Maputo Province, Mozambique, South Africa

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Accepted for publication 19 February 2009-Editor

 

 

* Author to whom correspondence is to be directed. E-mail: ivan.horak@up.ac.za