Some avian and mammalian hosts of Amblyomma hebraeum and Amblyomma marmoreum (Acari: Ixodidae)

Abstract

Large numbers of birds, wild mammals and domestic stock from a variety of localities within the Republic of South Africa were examined for infestation with the ixodid ticks Amblyomma hebraeum and Amblyomma marmoreum. Every warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), Burchell's zebra (Equus burchelli), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) from the Kruger National Park in the north-eastern Transvaal Lowveld was infested with A. hebraeum. In the eastern Cape Province every helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), scrub hare (Lepus saxatilis) and kudu from the Andries Vosloo Kudu Reserve; all but 1 of the 22 domestic cattle examined on the farm "Bucklands"; and all Angora goats plus nearly all Boer goats examined on the farm "Brakhill" were infested with this tick. Most animals examined appeared to be good hosts of the immature stages, and the larger the host species the greater the chances of it harbouring large numbers of adult ticks. The largest animals examined, such as eland, buffalo, giraffe and rhinoceros, harboured very large numbers of adult A. hebraeum. No adult A. marmoreum was recovered from any host. However, 50% or more of helmeted guinea fowl and kudu from the Andries Vosloo Kudu Reserve; helmeted guinea fowl, scrub hares and eland (Taurotragus oryx) from the Mountain Zebra National Park; helmeted guinea fowl, kudu, domestic sheep, goats and cattle on the farm "Bucklands", and caracal (Felis caracal) from the Cradock and Southwell areas of the eastern Cape Province were infested with immature A. marmoreum. In the Bontebok National Park in the south-western Cape Province more than 35% of scrub hares, vaal ribbok (Pelea capreolus) and bontebok (Damaliscus dorcas dorcas) were infested with immature ticks.