Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) of Nepal: First record of Amblyomma varanense (Supino), with an update of species list

PUN, SHYAM KUMAR; GUGLIELMONE, ALBERTO A.; TARRAGONA, EVELINA L.; NAVA, SANTIAGO; MAHARJAN, MAHENDRA

Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases

Elsevier

Lugar: Ámsterdam; Año: 2018 vol. 9 p. 526 - 534

1877-959X

Males and females specimens of Amblyomma were collected from Orthriophis hodgsoni (Squamata: Colubridae)caught during routine herpetological work in Kathmandu. Morphological characteristics led to the diagnosis ofA. varanense, constituting the second Nepalese species for the genus after the collection of Amblyomma gervaisi,also from a colubrid snake, almost 100 years ago. Amblyomma varanense is the 55th species found in the country,and preceded for the collection of 21 species of Haemaphysalis, 14 Ixodes, 6 Rhipicephalus, 6 Hyalomma, 4Dermacentor, 1 Amblyomma, 1 Anomalohimalaya and 1 species of Nosomma. Eleven and 19 species have beenfound on humans and domestic mammals, respectively, evidencing the medical and economic importance ofNepalese Ixodidae.