Nosomma monstrosum ( Nuttall and Warburton, 1908 )

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 : 188

Nosomma monstrosum ( Nuttall and Warburton, 1908)

Distribution

This species was first reported in Pakistan on Asian water buffaloes in Haripur District, KP ( Aiman et al. 2022).

Morphological characters

Male ( Fig. 36 , A–D): Body rounded, approximately 4.38± 0.2 mm long and 3.08± 0.1 mm wide; conscutum nearly circular, widest at midlength, anteriorly narrow, cervical grooves short and deep anteriorly, median groove faint, posteromedian grooves diverge posteriorly into wide depression between festoons 2 and 4, lateral grooves broad and shallow, extending from first festoon to vicinity of eyes, scutum arcuate, pseudoscutal groove behind eyes, punctations variable in size, larger on festoons and grooves, smaller near scapulae; eyes flat; basis capituli rectangular, 2.2 times wider than long, posterior margin slightly concave, with well-defined cornua, palpi short and broad, segments distinctly angular in profile, hypostome shorter than palpi, dental formula 3/3; legs large and robust, each coxa with a pair of spurs, coxa I with broad internal spur, narrow and longer external spur, coxae II–IV with variably sized internal and external spurs, coxa IV with largest internal spur; genital aperture subcircular, located between coxae II; spiracular plates comma-shaped, dorsal prolongation short and broad.

Female ( Fig. 36 , E–H): Body approximately 4.21± 0.2 mm long and 2.59± 0.1 mm wide, dark brown to blackish, idiosoma densely covered by moderately long, thick white setae; scutum broader than long, posterolateral margins distinctly sinuous, cervical grooves deep and converging posteriorly, then becoming shallow and diverging, punctations variable in size, posteromedian and paramedian grooves deep, marginal grooves beginning at posterior margin of scutum and enclosing first festoon; eyes flat; capitulum short and stout, basis capituli twice as wide as long, posterior margin straight with broadly rounded cornua, porose areas longitudinally ovoid and closely spaced, palpi short and broad, hypostome slightly shorter than palpi, bearing scale-like teeth, dental formula 3/3; legs robust and stout, internal spur of coxa I broad, external spur narrow but same length; genital aperture cup-like, its posterior lip U-shaped, positioned between coxae II; spiracular plates subtriangular, dorsal prolongation very short.

Figures

FIGURE 36. Nosomma monstrosum A: male dorsum (I: punctations); B: male venter (I: spurs of coxa I, II: adanal plate, III: subanal plate); C: male dorsum (I: basis capituli, II: cervical groove); D: male venter (I: capitulum, II: genital aperture); E: female dorsum (I: cervical field, II: median groove, III: paramedian groove); F: female venter (I: spurs of coxa I); G: female dorsum (I: basis capituli); H: female venter (I: capitulum, II: genital aperture).