A survey on species diversity and distribution of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodoidea) in cattle and buffaloes, Miandoab, Iran

Subject Areas : Journal of Basic and Clinical Veterinary Medicine

سهراب رسولی ^{1 *} , فائزه حیدربیگی ² , مهدی سیف احمدی ³ , آتوسا نوعی ⁴

1 - Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
2 - Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
3 - Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran
4 - Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran

Received: 2022-09-28 Accepted : 2023-01-14 Published : 2022-12-01

Keywords: cattle, Buffalo, Miandoab, Hard Tick, Ixodidae,

Abstract :

The family of Ixodidae is one of the greatest tick families of domestic animals that includes 13 genera and 650 species in five subfamilies. The goal of this research is the assessment of the cattle and domestic buffalos’ contaminations development to differentiate the tick family from the quantitative aspect and also the determination of the found tick species diversity in Miandoab. In this study, conducted from the early spring 2016 to the late winter in 2017, 406 ticks were collected and identified from the total cattle and buffaloes studied; 187 ticks were collected and identified. From all cattle studied, Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, with 179 numbers (44.09%), was identified as the most infesting agent, and Boophilus annulatus, with three numbers (0.74%), was identified as the least infecting agent. From the total buffaloes under studied, Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, with 101 numbers (54.01%), was identified as the highest cause of infection, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus, with 21 numbers, (11.23%) was identified as the least infecting agent (P<0.05). In the current study, in terms of seasonal prevalence of hard tick infection, the highest level of infection was observed in spring and the lowest levels of infection were observed in winter (P<0.05). Maximum rates of hard ticks were observed in the groin and minimums were observed on the surface of the testicles (P<0.05).