First record of the camel tick Rhipicephalus muhsamae in Kenya on a one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius)

摘要

TICK infestation of the one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) in Kenya is common (Dolan and others 1983, Crees 1985, Dioli 1992), and several Hyalomma, Rhipicephalus and Amblyomma species may be involved (Pegram and Higgins 1992). Most Rhipicephalusspecies found on camels are difficult to identify, and identification requires detailed examination using a scanning electron microscope (Pegram and others 1987). As part of a study investigating camel tick epidemiology, 28,804 specimens were collected from 304 camels in two herds kept on ranches in the Laikipia District of Kenya (0.30°N, 36.45°E and 0.36°N, 36.23°E, respectively). Ticks were collected from the nostril, eye, ear, axilla, front foot, peri-neal area and tail from one side of the bodyduring the wet and dry seasons (in May 1999 and June 2000, and September and October 1999, respectively). Specimens were preserved in 70 per cent ethanol, examined under a stereomicroscope, and a preliminary identification was established using standardkeys (Hoogstraal 1956, Mathysse and Colbo 1987, Walker and others 2000). Large numbers of Rhipicephalus species were recovered, including those in the 'Rhipicephalus sirmus group' (Dioli and others 2002), which comprises three distinct but morphologically very similar species: Rhipicephalus muh-samae, Rhipicephalus praetextatns and R simus (Pegram and others 1987).