Haemaphysalis kashmirensis Hoogstraal and Varma, 1962

Ali, Abid, Almutairi, Mashal M., Robbins, Richard G., Chitimia-Dobler, Lidia & Ullah, Shafi, 2025, Updated checklist, morphological descriptions, hosts and vector potential of ticks (Acari: Argasidae, Ixodidae) in Pakistan, Zootaxa 5725 (2), pp. 151-202 : 174

Haemaphysalis kashmirensis Hoogstraal and Varma, 1962

Distribution

Haemaphysalis kashmirensis has been reported from Azad Jammu and Kashmir ( Karim et al. 2017), Naran, Shogran ( Hoogstraal & Varma 1962), Babusar, Saidu Sharif, Gilgit and central KP ( McCarthy 1967; Begum et al. 1970b; Khan Z et al. 2022; Khan SM et al. 2023; Khan M et al. 2023).

Morphological characters

Male ( Fig. 21 , A–D): Body elongate-oval, approximately 2.96± 0.2 mm long and 1.68± 0.1 mm wide, reddish brown; conscutum elongate oval, twice as wide as long with bluntly rounded posterior margin and widest at level of coxae IV; cervical grooves very short, slightly convergent and deep; lateral grooves long, deep, extending from level of coxae II to first festoon, punctations shallow, sparse and more numerous anteriorly than posteriorly, eleven clearly defined festoons; capitulum short and stout, basis capituli slightly longer than wide, lateral margins subparallel, posterior margin between cornua straight, dorsal surface with sparse punctations, cornua triangular and robust, sharply pointed posteriorly, palpi conical, segment 1 narrow basally, segments 2 and 3 about equal in length, segment 2 posteriorly elevated, forming an angular, spur-like ridge, segment 3 broad, with gradually tapering spur ventrally, hypostome moderately stout with pointed apex and slightly convex lateral margins, dental formula 6/6; legs robust and rather long, each coxa with small, hook-like curved spur, trochanters lacking spurs but with distal spur-like ridge, tarsi short and stout, slightly humped at base, claws long and stout; genital aperture subcircular and large, situated between coxae II; spiracular plates with short and moderately wide dorsal prolongation.

Female ( Fig. 21 , E–H): Body approximately 3.33± 0.2 mm long and 2.00± 0.1 mm wide, reddish brown as in male; scutum cordiform, length and width approximately equal, margins rounded posteriorly, cervical grooves deep and subparallel, anteriorly convergent, becoming shallow and divergent posterior to scutal midlength, punctations small, densely distributed over anterior two-fifths of scutum; capitulum as in male but slightly larger, basis capituli with short and broadly triangular cornua, porose areas medium-sized, shallow and elongate triangular, space between porose areas nearly equal to width of single porose area, hypostome clavate, with 9–12 rows of fine, small denticles, dental formula 5/5; legs, tarsi and coxal spurs as in male, except tarsi II and III more distinctly humped; genital aperture situated just posterior to coxae II, posterior lip of genital aperture U-shaped; spiracular plates oval, with shorter dorsal prolongation than male.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Haemaphysalis kashmirensis A: male dorsum (I: lateral groove, II: festoon); B: male venter (I: genital aperture, II: spur of coxa III, III: spur of coxa IV); C: male dorsum (I: cornua, II: cervical groove); D: male venter (I: capitulum, II: spur of coxa I, III: spur of coxa II); E: female dorsum (I: cervical field and scutal punctations, II: scutum); F: female venter (I: genital aperture, II: spur of coxa IV), G: female dorsum (I: cornua); H: female venter (I: capitulum, II: spur of coxa I).