Natural History Museum, University of Baghdad. Baghdad, Iraq
ABSTRACT
In 661 animals, comprising 8 species of reptiles (35 individuals], 73 bird species (216 individuals), and 16 species of mammals (410 individuals), only 22 species (349 individuals) had tick infestation. The number of ticks recovered was 1529 (308 larvae, 230 nymphs, 991 adults). Eleven percent of birds and 20% of reptiles had mostly immature ticks, while 77.6% of the mammals carried adults. A total of 12 tick species were identified. Of these, Boophilus kohlsi, Rhipicephalus leporis, and R. turanicus are new records for Iraq and Ornithadoros erraticus is provisionally placed in this country. Boophilus kohlsi and Rhipicephalus bursa are apparently restricted to the northern forest zone; Haemaphysalis erinacei, H. sulcata, and Rhipicephalus leporis to the upper desert zone; Boophilus annulatus, Haemaphysalis detritum, and Hyalomma marginatum turanicum to the alluvial plains, while Rhipicephalus turanicus, Hvalomma anatolicum anatolicum and Hyalomma nymphs are widespread. Thus, in mixed infestation, Rhipicephalus turanicus and Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum were most dominant, the former infesting both wild and domestic animals and the latter confined to livestock. Hyalomma nymphs infested mainly wild birds, hares, and livestock.