Hyalomma schulzei Olenev, 1931

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 : 183

Hyalomma schulzei Olenev, 1931

Distribution

Hyalomma schulzei has been reported from many parts of Balochistan, including Quetta, Chagi, Kalat, Nushki and Gulistan ( McCarthy 1967; Apanaskevich et al. 2008).

Morphological characters

Male ( Fig. 30 , A–B): A very large tick, approximately 8.49± 0.2 mm long and 4.41± 0.1 mm wide, yellowish to reddish-brown; conscutum broadly ovate and dark to red-brown, covered by punctations of various sizes, cervical and lateral grooves deep, extending two-thirds of conscutum, a smooth area separates posteromedian groove from parma, paramedian grooves well defined and obliquely oriented, central festoon or parma large and rectangular, with four distinct festoons, large punctations sparse, concentrated in caudal and lateral fields, small punctations moderately dense; eyes large and bulging; capitulum long, basis capituli subrectangular, lateral projections short dorsally and absent ventrally, dorsal posterior margin slightly concave, cornua inconspicuous, palpi slightly longer than clavate hypostome, dental formula 3/3; legs long, cylindrical and stout, with ivory bands of enameling encircling distal portion of each segment, partial or complete dorsal stripe along segments, spurs of coxae I long and subequal in length, external spurs of coxae II–IV broadly arcuate and distinct, coxae II and III with broadly arcuate and moderately developed internal spurs, coxa IV with distinct, triangular internal spur; three pairs of ventral plates, adanal plates large and broad, with concave anteromedian margin and slightly convex lateral margin, posterior margin convex and posteromedian region concave, subanal plates asymmetrically oval and medium-sized, accessory plates medium-sized, somewhat separate from adanal plates, genital aperture subcircular, situated anterior to coxae II, spiracular plate round, dorsal prolongation short, perforated region straight and triangular, circumspiracular setae sparsely distributed.

Female ( Fig. 30 , C–D): Body ovoid, approximately 8.42± 0.2 mm long and 5.02± 0.1 mm wide, widest at level of coxae III, dark to reddish-brown; scutum chiefly red-brown, slightly longer than broad, cervical grooves deep, extending to posterior scutal margin, large and medium-sized punctations sparse and evenly distributed, posterolateral margins prominently angled; eyes large and bulging; capitulum long and stout, dorsal posterior margin of basis capituli slightly concave, with short posterolateral projections, inconspicuous cornua, palpi and hypostome as in male, dental formula 3/3; legs long, with bands of ivory enameling as in male, coxa I with long, subequal internal and external spurs, coxae II–IV with distinct, broadly triangular, apically rounded external spurs, broadly arcuate internal spurs; genital aperture wide, deep and broadly U-shaped; spiracular plates ovoid, with short, broad and slightly curved dorsal prolongation, circumspiracular setae sparse.

Figures

FIGURE 30. Hyalomma schulzei A: male dorsum (I: capitulum dorsal view, II: cervical field, III: paramedian festoon); B: male venter (I: adanal plates, II: spiracular plate); C: female dorsum (I: scutum); D: female venter (I: spurs of coxa I).