Hyalomma (Hyalommina) kumari Sharif, 1928

Apanaskevich, Dmitry A., Horak, Ivan G. & Geevarghese, Geevarghese, 2009, The genus Hyalomma Koch, 1844. VIII. Redescription of three Hyalommina Schulze, 1919 species (Acari: Ixodidae) from South Asia with notes on their biology, Zootaxa 2050, pp. 31-55 : 47-53

Hyalomma (Hyalommina) kumari Sharif, 1928

( Figs. 13–18 )

Type specimens. Syntypes (male and female; not quantified) ex tahr, Hemitragus hylocrius (Ogilby) from Parambikulam, Cochin State [now Kerala State, India]; deposited in the Indian Museum, reg. № 2173/17 (Kolkata, India) (p. 320, Sharif 1928). Some of syntypes (2 males, 2 females; Nuttall 3659) are housed in the Natural History Museum (London) ( Keirans & Hillyard 2001). Later authors have added the following data for the syntypes: the date of the collection (16-24 Sept 1924) and the collector (F.A. Gravely).

Material studied. A total of 40 males, 30 females, 17 nymphs and 30 larvae that originated from Afghanistan, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Tajikistan were examined in the present study.

Description. Male ( Figs. 13 , 14 )

Conscutum ( Fig. 13 ): narrow, length 2.28–3.22 (2.68 ± 0.25, n = 19), width 1.34–1.78 (1.52 ± 0.12, n = 19), ratio length:width 1.62–1.87 (1.76 ± 0.07, n = 19); usually yellow-brown; fairly sparse large, mediumsized and small punctations mainly on anterior part of conscutum, caudal and lateral fields. Spiracular plate ( Fig. 14 C): perforated portion of prolongation very broad.

Female ( Figs. 15 , 16 )

Scutum ( Fig. 15 ): length 1.42–2.05 (1.74 ± 0.16, n = 10), width 1.29–1.85 (1.55 ± 0.16, n = 10), ratio length:width 1.09–1.20 (1.13 ± 0.03, n = 10); usually yellow-brown; large and medium-sized punctations moderately dense on lateral fields and anterior part of central fields; punctations sparse on cervical fields and on central and posterior parts of central field. Genital structures ( Fig. 16 A): genital aperture narrow, arcuate (U-shaped); vestibular portion of vagina markedly bulging; preatrial fold of genital aperture bulging throughout its length ( Fig. 16 B).

Nymph ( Fig. 17 )

Scutum ( Fig. 17 A): length 461–556 (510±22.94, n=16), width 421–485 (463±18.47, n=16), ratio length:width 1.03–1.15 (1.10±0.03, n=16), distance between posterior margin of eyes and posterior margin of scutum 143–187 (165±11.52, n=16), width:length of posterior portion of scutum 2.55–3.00 (2.81±0.13, n=16); slight posterolateral depressions on either side of scutal extremity.

Basis capituli ( Figs. 17 D, E): length 340–400 (365±17.37, n=16); width 290–348 (316±17.48, n=16), ratio length:width 1.11–1.20 (1.16±0.03, n=16); ventrally lateral saliences slightly convex without spur. Palpi (segment II) ( Figs. 17 D, E): length 146–180 (158±9.03, n=16), width 44–48 (46±1.57, n=16), ratio length:width 3.11–3.83 (3.42±0.20, n=16). Hypostome ( Fig. 17 E): length 154–190 (170±9.86, n=16), width 38–50 (44±3.39, n=16), ratio length:width 3.24–4.10 (3.87±0.20, n=16); rounded at apex; 8 or 9 large denticles in median file.

Coxae ( Fig. 17 F): coxae II with moderate spur.

Larva ( Fig. 18 )

Scutum ( Fig. 18 A): length 216–232 (225±3.92, n=30), width 314–332 (323±4.54, n=30), ratio length:width 0.67–0.72 (0.69±0.01, n=30), distance from posterior margin of eyes to posterior margin of scutum 48–56 (52±2.22, n=30), ratio width:length of posterior portion 5.71–6.92 (6.25±0.29, n=30). Portion of scutum posterior to eyes slightly less than 1/4 of scutal length.

Basis capituli ( Figs. 18 B, C): length 148–166 (159±3.53, n=30), width 152–162 (158±2.19, n=30), ratio length:width 0.95–1.06 (1.01±0.02, n=30). Palpi (segments II and III) ( Figs. 18 B, C): length 108–114 (111±1.58, n=30), width 31–36 (32±0.97, n=30), ratio length:width 3.08–3.56 (3.42±0.11, n=30). Hypostome ( Fig. 18 C): length 86–92 (90±1.67, n=30), width 21–22 (21±0.51, n=30), ratio length:width 4.00–4.38 (4.17±0.11, n=30); 7 or 8 large denticles in median file.

Genu I: length 118–126 (121±1.98, n=30), width 42–44 (43±0.92, n=8), ratio length:width 2.73–3.00 (2.83±0.08, n=8).

Hosts. The principal hosts of the adults are large and medium-sized domestic and wild ungulates: cattle, goats, buffaloes, sheep, pigs, camels, horses, donkeys, Indian muntjac, Muntiacus muntjak (Zimmermann) , tahr, Hemitragus hylocrius (Ogilby) , markhor, Capra falconeri (Wagner) and wild goat, Capra hircus Linnaeus. Adults have also been recorded from domestic dogs and tiger, P. tigris (our data; Sharif 1928; Starkov 1972; Miranpuri & Naithani 1978; Hoogstraal & Valdez 1980; Geevarghese & Dhanda 1987).

The main hosts of the immature stages of H. kumari are various rodents and other small mammals. The immature stages have been recorded from Asian house shrew, S. murinus , Blanford’s rat, C. blanfordi, Cutch rat, C. cutchicus , house rat, R. rattus, soft-furred rat, M. meltada, Indian bush rat, G. ellioti , rock-loving mouse, M. saxicola , flat-haired mouse, M. platythrix , little Indian field mouse, M. booduga and Indian gerbil, T. indica ( Singh & Dhanda 1965; Kaul et al. 1978, 1979; Geevarghese & Dhanda 1987). One larva has been recorded from a bird: munia, Lonchura sp. ( Kaul et al. 1978).

It is most probable that the records of the immature stages from larger domestic animals such as goats, buffaloes and dogs (Chaudhuri 1970; Gill & Gill 1977) are the result of confusing their identification with those of H. anatolicum or H. dromedarii Koch, 1844 . These records and the identification of the immature stages need to be rechecked.

Geographic distribution. Asia: Afghanistan, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Tajikistan (our data; Sharif 1928; Kaiser & Hoogstraal 1963, 1964; Starkov 1972; Hoogstraal & Valdez 1980; Geevarghese & Dhanda 1987). Upon revising the Hyalomma collection of the USNTC we found a collection lot containing H. kumari from Iran: RML 98817 (HH 54068), 2 females, Iran, Fars, 3.4 miles North of Bastak, ex Capra hircus aegagrus , 20 November 1968, R.W. Rust leg. Previously both females had been incorrectly identified as Hyalomma asiaticum Schulze & Schlottke, 1930 ; this is now the second record of H. kumari from Iran. Identification. The differential characters for identification of all stages of the life cycles of H. brevipunctata , H. hussaini and H. kumari are summarized in Table 1.

Character Tick species and stage of development

H. brevipunctata H. hussaini H. kumari Male

1. Conscutum – avg. length × width (their ratio) 2.52 × 1.48 (1.70) 2.65 × 1.65 (1.61) 2.68 × 1.52 (1.76) 2. Conscutum – width Relatively broad Relatively broad Narrow 3. Conscutum – color Red-brown Red-brown Yellow-brown 4. Punctations on conscutum Dense Sparse Moderately sparse

Female

1. Scutum – avg. length × width (their ratio) 1.78 × 1.64 (1.08) 1.75 × 1.69 (1.03) 1.74 × 1.55 (1.13) 2. Conscutum – color Red-brown Red-brown Yellow-brown 3. Punctations of scutum Dense Sparse Moderately sparse 4. Genital operculum Narrow U-shaped Broad U-shaped Narrow U-shaped 5. Pre-atrial fold of genital operculum Humped anteriorly and Humped anteriorly and Humped throughout

sloping posteriorly sloping posteriorly its length Nymph

1. Scutum – avg. length × width (their ratio) 609 × 512 (1.19) 487 × 494 (0.99) 510 × 463 (1.10) 2. Scutum – avg. length of posterior part 230 156 165

3. Scutum – avg. ratio width to length of posterior part 2.23 3.16 2.81 4. Gnathosoma – avg. length × width (their ratio) 402 × 346 (1.16) 351 × 313 (1.12) 365 × 316 (1.16) 5. Palpi – avg. length × width (their ratio) 168 × 47 (3.57) 158 × 47 (3.37) 146 × 46 (3.42) 6. Hypostome – avg. length × width (their ratio) 182 × 44 (4.14) 165 × 52 (3.18) 170 × 44 (3.87) 7. Scutum posteriolateral margin Without depressions With depressions With depressions 8. Lateral saliences of basis capituli ventrally Without spur With spur Without spur 9. Hypostome Tapering at apex Blunt at apex Blunt at apex 10. Number of denticles in median file of hypostome 7 7 or 8 8 or 9 11. Spur of coxae II Moderate Large Moderate Larva

1. Scutum – avg. length × width (their ratio) 233 × 317 (0.74) 223 × 325 (0.69) 225 × 323 (0.69) 2. Scutum – avg. length of posterior part 57 53 52

3. Scutum – avg. ratio width to length of posterior part 5.52 6.15 6.25 4. Gnathosoma – avg. length × width (their ratio) 153 × 157 (0.98) 147 × 158 (0.93) 159 × 158 (1.01) 5. Palpi – avg. length × width (their ratio) 112 × 36 (3.12) 109 × 33 (3.26) 111 × 32 (3.42) 6. Hypostome – avg. length × width (their ratio) 86 × 21 (4.12) 86 × 22 (3.80) 90 × 21 (4.17) 7. Genu – avg. length × width (their ratio) 128 × 44 (2.95) 120 × 44 (2.69) 121 × 43 (2.83) 8. Number of denticles in median file of hypostome 6 6 7 or 8

Figures

FIGURE 13. Hyalomma kumari, male, conscutum. Scale bar = 1 mm. All setae are omitted.

FIGURE 14. Hyalomma kumari, male. A—genital structures; B—anal plates; C—spiracular plate (a—anterior, d—dorsal); D—gnathosoma dorsally; E—gnathosoma ventrally; F—palp ventrally; G—hypostome; H—coxae. Scale bars: A = 200 μm; B, D, E, H = 500 μm; C, F, G = 400 μm. All setae are omitted except drawing F where only setae of palpal segment IV are omitted.

FIGURE 15. Hyalomma kumari, female, scutum. Scale bar = 1 mm. All setae are omitted.

FIGURE 16. Hyalomma kumari, female. A—genital structures; B—longitudinal cut through preatrial fold of genital aperture schematically (a—anterior, p—posterior); C—spiracular plate (a—anterior, d—dorsal); D—gnathosoma dorsally; E—gnathosoma ventrally; F—palp ventrally; G—hypostome; H—coxae. Scale bars: A = 200 μm; C, F, G = 400 μm; E, D, H = 500 μm. All setae are omitted except drawing F where only setae of palpal segment IV are omitted.

FIGURE 17. Hyalomma kumari, nymph. A—scutum; B—seta of alloscutum; C—spiracular plate (a—anterior, d—dorsal); D—gnathosoma dorsally; E—gnathosoma ventrally; F—coxae. A = 400 μm; B, C = 50 μm; D, E, F = 200 μm. All setae are omitted except drawings D and E where only setae of palpal segment IV are omitted.

FIGURE 18. Hyalomma kumari, larva. A—scutum; B—gnathosoma dorsally; C—gnathosoma ventrally; D—coxae. Scale bars: A = 150 μm; B, C, D = 100 μm. All setae are omitted except drawings B and C where only setae of palpal segment IV are omitted.