Carios vespertilionis Latreille, 1796

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 : 162

Carios vespertilionis Latreille, 1796

Distribution

This tick has been reported from Dir Lower (Ullah H et al. 2019; Zahid et al. 2023).

Morphological characters

Female ( Fig. 7 , A–B): Body approximately 3.55± 0.2 mm long, 3.14± 0.1 mm wide, circular or subcircular, width four-fifths total length, unengorged specimens dorsoventrally thin and flattened, concealing basal leg segments and mouthparts; lateral body margins convex, posterior margin broadly rounded, anterior margin more sharply rounded, forming distinct hood; body colour varying from pale yellow to light or dark brown; dorsal integument with fine wrinkling in antero-central region, low granulations toward margins and posterior body region, granulations suboval to subcircular and slightly elevated; dorsally, chainlike lines, largely consisting of disks, arise from center of body; ventral integument similar to dorsum in pattern and texture, with discs arranged in radiating rows; capitulum situated within deep camerostome, lateral margins of basis capituli convex, with three pairs of sublateral setae at base; hypostome cone-like and twice as long as wide, dental formula 2/2, with six to seven rows of apical denticles; palpal segments 2 and 3 subequal in length, each approximately two-thirds length of segment 1, segment 4 half length of segments 2 and 3; legs short, positioned anterior to midlength of body, coxae contiguous and tapering variably; eyes absent; spiracular plates small, situated between coxae III and IV; genital aperture broadly oval in outline, situated between coxae I.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Carios vespertilionis female A: dorsum (I: central large discs, II: peripheral integument consisting of subrectangular cells); B: venter (I: capitulum, ventral view, II: postanal groove).