Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Nymph (
Figures 2.29 and 2.30
)
Total body length is about 1.2 mm.
Capitulum: The capitulum is 0.2 mm in length with a moderate salience of pal-
pal segment II. Palpal segment III shows a very large, pointed, triangular spur;
overlapping almost two-thirds of palpal segment II. Infrainternal setae number two.
Cornua are short and broadly triangular. Hypostome is with 2/2 dental formula and
shows eight to nine denticles per file.
Scutum: The scutum is 1.3 times as wide as long. Cervical grooves are deep
and extend to two-thirds of scutum. Festoons are marked very shallow.
Legs: Coxa are each with a spur; coxa I bears moderately long, blunt spur, while
coxa II to IV bear broadly triangular, pointed spurs reducing in size consecutively.
Related Species
H. ornithophila is close to H. megalaimae and H. doenitzi in morphologic features.
In H. ornithophila, the ventral spur of palpal segment III is elongately triangular,
overlapping anterior half of palpal segment II, whereas in H. megalaimae the spur
is very small and not reaching up to intersegmental suture. In H. doenitzi, infrain-
ternal setae are long, lanceolate, well spaced, and five or six in number; in
H. megalaimae, these are very short, closely spaced, feathery, and number only
three or four. In H. ornithophila, these are long, lanceolate, well spaced, and four to
five in number.
Host
Immature stages: Bird species.
Adults: Bird species (Burmese rufous-naped pitta, Gallus species like red jungle
fowl, etc.).
Distribution
120
India (Uttarakhand), Thailand, Burma.
Disease Relationship
Not known.
2.5.3 Haemaphysalis howletti
Haemaphysalis howletti was first described by Warburton in 1913, collected from a
hill pony in Rawalpindi area of Pakistan. Subsequently, it was redescribed by
Nuttall and Warburton in 1915. In India it was collected from Pune area of
Maharashtra state in 1962 by Dhanda from rodents and birds. The taxonomic status
of these specimens was confirmed by Hoogstraal. Dhanda in 1964 described the
immatures along with the redescription of adults (
Figure 2.31
).
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