Hyalomma (Hyalommina) hussaini Sharif 1928

Hyalomma (Hyalommina) hussaini Sharif, 1928

(Figs. 7–12)

Type specimens. Syntypes (sex not indicated; not quantified) ex cattle from Akola Town in the Central Provinces [now Maharashtra State, India]; deposited in the Indian Museum, reg. № 57/18 (Kolkata, India) (p. 317, Sharif 1928).

Material studied. A total of 31 males, 26 females, 7 nymphs and 32 larvae that originated from India, Myanmar and Pakistan were examined in the current study.

Synonym. Hyalomma hussaini forma typica Sharif, 1928

Description. Male (Figs. 7, 8)

Conscutum (Fig. 7): length 2.21–2.93 (2.65 ± 0.17, n = 25), width 1.34–1.82 (1.65 ± 0.12, n = 25), ratio length:width 1.51–1.76 (1.61 ± 0.06, n = 25); dark red-brown; sparse large punctations mainly on anterior part of conscutum, lateral and caudal fields. Spiracular plate (Fig. 8 C): perforated portion of prolongation very broad.

Female (Figs. 9, 10)

Scutum (Fig. 9): length 1.62–1.88 (1.75 ± 0.08, n = 19), width 1.52–1.85 (1.69 ± 0.09, n = 19), ratio length:width 1.00–1.06 (1.03 ± 0.02, n = 19); usually dark red-brown; large, deep punctations sparse, evenly distributed over scutum. Genital structures (Fig. 10 A): genital aperture very wide, arcuate (U-shaped); vestibular portion of vagina markedly bulging; preatrial fold of genital aperture bulging anteriorly and sloping sharply posteriorly (Fig. 10 B).

Nymph (Fig. 11)

Scutum (Fig. 11 A): length 449–525 (487±27.51, n=6), width 453–533 (494±27.59, n=6), ratio length:width 0.88–1.06 (0.99±0.07, n=6), distance between posterior margin of eyes and posterior margin of scutum 151–175 (156±9.63, n=6), width:length of posterior portion of scutum 2.82–3.39 (3.16±0.22, n=6); slight posterolateral depressions on either side of scutal extremity.

Basis capituli (Figs. 11 D, E): length 312–376 (351±21.97, n=6); width 292–332 (313±16.33, n=6), ratio length:width 1.07–1.15 (1.12±0.03, n=6); ventrally lateral saliences with moderate spur directed posteriorly. Palpi (segment II) (Figs. 11 D, E): length 140–176 (158±11.48, n=6), width 45–48 (47±1.09, n=6), ratio length:width 3.04–3.83 (3.37±0.26, n=6). Hypostome (Fig. 11 E): length 144–178 (165±11.64, n=6), width 50–54 (52±1.26, n=6), ratio length:width 2.77–3.42 (3.18±0.23, n=6); rounded at apex; 7 or 8 large denticles in median file.

Coxae (Fig. 11 F): coxae II with large triangular spur.

Larva (Fig. 12)

Scutum (Fig. 12 A): length 208–232 (223±5.69, n=32), width 300–344 (325±9.21, n=32), ratio length:width 0.66–0.72 (0.69±0.01, n=32), distance from posterior margin of eyes to posterior margin of scutum 48–58 (53±2.32, n=32), ratio width:length of posterior portion 5.57–6.92 (6.15±0.31, n=32). Portion of scutum posterior to eyes nearly equal to 1/4 of scutal length.

Basis capituli (Figs. 12 B, C): length 136–160 (147±5.60, n=32), width 150–164 (158±3.42, n=32), ratio length:width 0.89–1.00 (0.93±0.03, n=32). Palpi (segments II and III) (Figs. 12 B, C): length 104–114 (109±2.18, n=32), width 32–34 (33±0.83, n=32), ratio length:width 3.12–3.44 (3.26±0.08, n=32). Hypostome (Fig. 12 C): length 80–90 (86±2.33, n=32), width 22–24 (22±0.62, n=32), ratio length:width 3.58–4.00 (3.80±0.10, n=32); 6 large denticles in median file.

Genu I: length 114–128 (120±2.44, n=32), width 42–46 (44±1.40, n=7), ratio length:width 2.56–2.86 (2.69±0.10, n=7).

Hosts. The main hosts of the adults are large and medium-sized domestic and wild ungulates: cattle, buffaloes, camels, goats, sheep, pigs, horses and nilgai, B. tragocamelus. The adults have also been recorded from domestic dogs, a bear and humans (our data; Sharif 1928; Kaiser & Hoogstraal 1964; Miranpuri & Naithani 1978; Geevarghese & Dhanda 1987; Robbins et al. 2002).

The chief hosts of the immature stages are small mammals such as rodents and shrews. Larvae and nymphs have been recorded from: Asian house shrew, S. murinus, house rat, R. rattus, Indian bush rat, Golunda ellioti Gray, Indian desert jird, Meriones hurrianae Jordon and rock-loving mouse, M. saxicola (Singh & Dhanda 1965; Wattal & Srivastva 1967; Geevarghese & Dhanda 1987).

Geographic distribution. Asia: India, Myanmar and Pakistan (our data; Sharif 1928; Kaiser & Hoogstraal 1964; Geevarghese & Dhanda 1987; Robbins et al. 2002).