Description of two new species of Haemaphysalis Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae) from the H. (Rhipistoma) spinulosa subgroup, parasites of carnivores and other mammals in Africa.

ABSTRACT

Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) latitudinis n. sp. (Acari Ixodidae) and H. (R.) setosa n. sp. are described based on adults. Adults of H. (R.) latitudinis n. sp. were mostly collected from carnivores (Carnivora Canidae, Felidae, Herpestidae, Mustelidae, Viverridae), few specimens were found on rodents (Rodentia Muridae), bat (Chiroptera Molossidae) and domestic cattle (Artiodactyla Bovidae) in Benin, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Sudan and Uganda. Adults of H. (R.) setosa n. sp. were mostly found on carnivores (Carnivora Felidae, Herpestidae, Viverridae), few specimens were found on rodents (Rodentia Muridae), hare (Lagomorpha Leporidae), hyrax (Hyracoidea Procaviidae) and human (Primates Hominidae) in Kenya. Males and females of both species can be differentiated from each other and other H. spinulosa-like ticks by their size, pattern of punctations on conscutum/scutum, size of setae, shape of genital structures, size and shape of spiracular plates, dorsal cornua, posterodorsal and posteroventral spurs on palpal segment II and spur on coxae and dentition on hypostome.