Current status of ticks (Acari: Argasidae, Ixodidae) in India

Ticks are large chelicerate, ectoparasitic vectors belonging to arthropods causing several zoonotic tick-borne diseases leading to morbidity or even mortality in both humans and animals worldwide. From India, 125 species are recorded which is more than one-eighth of the 982 tick species, belonging to 24 genera (10 from India) and 4 families namely Ixodidae, Argasidae, Nuttalliellidae and Deinocrotonidae known from the world. Out of the 125 Indian tick species, 105 species belong to the family Ixodidae, and 20 species to the family Argasidae. Due to its diversity and medico-veterinary significance, there is a need for surveillance of ticks and tick-borne diseases in India. The main objective of this publication is to provide an updated list of tick species occurring in India. Here, a valid and updated species belonging to ticks found in the Indian sub-continent is prepared with its distribution pattern in India.