Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) capensis

Basu, A. K., Basu, M. & Adesiyun, A. A., 2012, A Review On Ticks (Acari: Ixodoidea: Ixodidae, Argasidae), Associated Pathogens And Diseases Of Trinidad And Tobago, Acarologia 52 (1), pp. 39-50 : 42

Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) capensis

Kohls et al. (1965) recorded O. ( A.) capensis from spotted sandpipers, Actitis macularia from Laventile swamp, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Aitken et al. (1969) further recorded O. ( A.) capensis during their survey of arthropods for natural virus infection.

Between 1962 and 1965, 15 strains of Hughes virus were isolated from Soldado Rock, a small limestone island located about 9.6 km off the southwestern tip of Trinidad. Seven isolates came from ticks of the O. capensis complex and eight from nestling terns Sterna fuscata ( Aitken et al. 1968b) . Jonkers et al. (1973) reported Soldado virus (TRVL 52214), a new viral agent, isolated from a pool of nymphal O. capensis ticks (either Ornithodoros capensis sensu stricto or O. denmarki ) collected from a brown noddy ( Anous stolidus ) on Soldado Rock. O. ( A.) capensis is also known to transmit other Soldado viruses in Hawaii, Seychelles, Trinidad and Ethiopia ( Labuda and Nuttall 2004); Johnston Atoll virus, Abal virus in Central Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand, SW Africa (Hoogstraal 2003); Upolu virus in Australia; Baku virus in Azerbaijan; Aransas Bay virus in Texas, USA; Saumarez Reef virus in Tasmania; Hirota virus on Aomatsushima Island, Japan and, Midway virus in Hawaii ( Labuda and Nuttall 2004).

Distribution: Dassen Island and Malagas Island ( South Africa), Australia, Central Pacific, Ethiopia, Hawaii, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Texas, Dominica, Jamaica, Cuba ( Kohls et al. 1965; Cruz 2001).