Molecular-phylogenetic analyses of Ixodes species from South Africa suggest an African origin of bird-associated exophilic ticks (subgenus Trichotoixodes).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Among hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), the genus Ixodes comprises the highest number of species, which in turn are most numerous in the Afrotropical zoogeographic region. In South Africa extensive morphological studies have been performed on Ixodes species but only few reports included molecular analyses.

Methods

In this study, 58 Ixodes spp. ticks, collected from ten mammalian and eight avian host species in South Africa, were molecularly and phylogenetically analyzed. In addition, a newly collected sample of the Palearctic Ixodes trianguliceps was included in the analyses.

Results

Among the ticks from South Africa, 11 species were identified morphologically. The majority of ticks from mammals represented the Ixodes pilosus group with two species (n = 20), fo

SUBMITTER: Hornok S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10612238 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature