Dermacentor raskemensis Pomerantzev, 1946

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 : 169

Dermacentor raskemensis Pomerantzev, 1946

Distribution

Dermacentor raskemensis has been reported from Ziarat, Quetta ( McCarthy 1967; Dhanda et al. 1971), Swat, and Sandman Tangi ( Apanaskevich 2013).

Morphological characters

Male ( Fig. 15 , A–D): Body approximately 4.71± 0.2 mm long and 2.80± 0.1 mm wide; conscutum ovoid with short, deep cervical grooves that diverge posteriorly, almost reaching level of coxae III, punctations variable in size, numerous and distributed throughout conscutum, which is metallic white except in vicinity of grooves and punctations; eyes oval, located at anterior fifth of body; eleven festoons, first festoon clearly defined; marginal grooves enclose first festoon and extend anteriorly to level of coxae III; dorsally, capitulum rectangular, 1.3 times longer than wide, cornua sharply pointed and one-third length of dorsal basis capituli, ventrally capitulum bases rounded at posterolateral margins and bearing one pair of small post-hypostomal setae, palpi short, hypostome slightly shorter than palpi with bluntly rounded apex, dental formula 3/3; legs robust and metallic white dorsally, legs I–III of medium length, legs IV longest, coxa I with two blunt, widely separated, subequal spurs, coxae II and III each with a short, blunt spur, coxa IV large, extending to anal region, with narrow, elongate external spur; genital region ovoid, situated between coxae II and slightly longer than wide; spiracular plates elongate-oval, dorsal prolongation narrow.

Female ( Fig. 15 , E–H): Body approximately 4.36± 0.2 mm long and 2.45± 0.1 mm wide; scutum with metallic white ornamentation except in vicinity of grooves and punctations, cordiform, widest at midpoint, tapering toward both anterior and posterior margins; eyes circular, flat, and situated at widest part of scutum; cervical grooves deep and comma-shaped anteriorly, diverging and shallow posteriorly; basis capituli subrectangular, broader than long, porose areas deep and ovoid, cornua minute, ornate, subtriangular, with bluntly rounded apices; palpi similar to male; hypostome short and clavate, dental formula 3/3; legs I–III moderate in size, legs IV similar in structure and shape but slightly larger; genital aperture located at level of coxae II, posterior lip of genital aperture V-shaped; spiracular plates ovoid and pointed, narrowly projecting at postero-dorsal surface, located behind coxae IV.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Dermacentor raskemensis A: male dorsum (I: cervical groove, II: foveal glands); B: male venter (I: genital aperture, II: spurs of coxa II, III: spur of coxa IV); C: male dorsum (I: cornua and basis capituli); D: male venter (I: hypostome, II: external spur of coxa I); E: female dorsum (I: scutum); F: female venter (I: genital aperture, II: external spur of coxa III); G: female dorsum (I: cornua and basis capituli); H: female venter (I: external spur of coxa I, II: hypostome).