Hyalomma dromedarii Koch, 1844

Hyalomma dromedarii Koch, 1844 View in CoL

Distribution

This species is found in Azad Jammu and Kashmir ( Kaiser & Hoogstraal 1964; McCarthy 1967; Begum et al. 1970b; Karim et al. 2017), Punjab ( Ghosh et al. 2007; Hussain et al. 2023), KP ( Siddiqi & Jan 1986; Khan Z et al. 2022; Alam et al. 2022; Tila et al. 2023; Shehla et al. 2023; Ali et al. 2023c; Khan M et al. 2023; Ullah S et al. 2024), Sindh ( Gadahi et al. 2013), and Balochistan ( Kasi et al. 2020; Kamran et al. 2021).

Morphological characters

Male ( Fig. 27 View FIGURE 27 , A–B): A large tick, approximately 5.40± 0.2 mm long and 3.28± 0.1 mm wide; conscutum broadly oval and red-brown, widest at midlength, cervical grooves deep anteriorly, becoming shallow posteriorly and reaching midlength of conscutum, lateral grooves deeply impressed, extending anteriorly to almost one-third of conscutum, posteromedian groove wide, extending anteriorly from parma to one-fourth conscutum, paramedian grooves well defined, large punctations sparse, mainly distributed in caudal and lateral regions, small punctations varying in density, central festoon or parma conical and yellowish, flanked by four clearly defined festoons; eyes large, bulging, and in sockets; legs long and stout, with ivory enameling, ivory dorsal stripes complete or incomplete, coxa I with long, subequal internal and external spurs, external spur slightly longer, coxae II and III with minute, broadly arcuate internal spurs, coxa IV with distinct triangular internal spur, coxae II–IV with distinct, broadly arcuate external spurs; capitulum long and stout, dorsal posterior margin of basis capituli angular and deeply concave, lacking lateral projections, cornua small, palpi long, hypostome clavate, slightly shorter than palpi, denticles small, dental formula 3/3; three pairs of ventral plates, adanal plates distinctly curved and rounded posteriorly, with convex lateral margins, deeply concave posteromedian margins and rounded posterior edges, subanal plates large and aligned with accessory plates; genital aperture situated just anterior to level of coxae II, subcircular; spiracular plates with sparse setae, perforated portion mildly curved, dorsal prolongation long and narrow.

Female ( Fig. 27 View FIGURE 27 , C–D): Body approximately 5.80± 0.2 mm long and 3.88± 0.1 mm wide, reddish brown; scutum nearly as long as broad, yellowish to reddish brown, posterior margin slightly rounded and with clearly defined posterolateral angles, cervical grooves deep and extending to posterior scutal margin, punctations large, deep and sparse but evenly distributed; eyes large and bulging; capitulum, palpi and hypostome as in male, basis capituli with short, broad dorsolateral projections, dorsal posterior margin slightly concave, porose areas oval and widely separated, dental formula 3/3; leg coloration and pattern as in male, coxal spurs similar to male; genital aperture with V-shaped posterior lip, situated at level of coxae II; spiracular setae sparse, perforated portion of dorsal prolongation slightly curved and narrow.