Identification and Distribution of Hard Ticks Species (Acari: Ixodidae) on the Northeastern Coast of Libya
Keywords:
Identification, Hard tick species, Northeastern LibyaAbstract
Hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are essential blood-feeding ectoparasites. Many species are medically the second-most important arthropod disease vectors for humans. Furthermore, hard ticks are the most prevalent and significant ectoparasites of domestic animals worldwide. To investigate the tick species infesting animals or the ground, seeking a host in northeastern Libya, a study of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) was carried out between 2006 and 2009, which was then continued at the end of 2017–2018. Two methods were used to collect individual tick samples: direct collection from infected animals (donkeys, goats, sheep, cows, camels, and dogs) and dragging a cloth over the vegetation. The tick species were identified using morphological examinations. A total of 1991 individual ticks were identified in this study from 11 cities and regions in Libya. Overall, eleven tick species were identified: Hyalomma (three species), Boophilus (three species), Rhipicephalus (three species), Amblyomma (one species), and Haemaphysalis (one species). The most common tick species identified were Hyalomma dromedarii and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Al-Marj city (meadow) had the highest number of ticks, followed by Massa city, while Ras Al-Hellal had the fewest number of ticks. This study is one of the few of its kind conducted in our country, and our findings help explain the tick species that parasitize animals. The presence of Haemaphysalis parva in the Al Jabal Al Akhdar region as a new species indicates a need for more comprehensive studies to inventory the local tick populations.
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