Number of species in genus

Species list

Amblyomma (Aponomma)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) arcanum (Karsch, 1879)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) crassipes (Neumann, 1901)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) elaphense (Price, 1959)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) exornatum Koch, 1844
Amblyomma (Aponomma) fimbriatum Koch, 1844
Amblyomma (Aponomma) flavomaculatum (Lucas, 1846)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) fuscolineatum (Lucas, 1847)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) gervaisi (Lucas, 1847)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) inopinatum (Santos Dias, 1989)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) komodoense (Oudemans, 1928)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) kraneveldi (Anastos, 1956)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) latum Koch, 1844
Amblyomma (Aponomma) orlovi Kolonin, 1992)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) pattoni (Neumann, 1910)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) soembawense (Anastos, 1956)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) sphenodonti (Dumbleton, 1943)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) transversale (Lucas, 1844)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) trimaculatum (Lucas, 1878)
Amblyomma (Aponomma) varanense (Supino, 1897)

Bothriocroton
B. (Aponomma) auruginans (Schulze, 1936)
B. (Aponomma) concolor (Neumann, 1899)
B. glebopalma (Keirans, King & Sharrad, 1994)
B. (Aponomma) hydrosauri (Denny, 1834)
B. (Aponomma) oudemansi (Neumann, 1910) 
B. (Aponomma) undatum (Fabricius, 1775)

Identifying features of genus

Eyeless Amblyomma (Aponomma )

Adults

• Anal groove: Present and embracing the anus posteriorly
• Eyes: Absent
• Festoons: Present and numbering 11
• Basis capituli: Variable in form but often sub rectangular or subtriangular
• Ornamentation: Present or Absent
• Palpi: Usually elongate, with article 2 being especially long.
• Ventral plates (males only): Absent, but small ventral plaques may be present
• Body shape: Usually subcircular in shape
• Hosts: Reptiles

Nymphs

• Anal groove: Absent
• Palpi: Long with 4 articles
• Festoons: Present and numbering 11
• Number of large wax glands near s6: One pair of large wax glands between MD2 and MD3 (s6 )

Bothriocroton

Adults

• Anal groove: Present and embracing the anus posteriorly 
• Eyes: Absent
• Festoons:  Present and numbering 11
• Hypostomal dentition: in the adults 2/2 or 3/3 with internal row much smaller than other rows
• Basis capituli: Subpentagonal in shape
• Ornamentation: Iridescent ornamentation on the scutum absent, but B. glebopalma and B. undatum have white ornamentation.
• Palpi: Usually elongate, with article 2 being especially long.
• Ventral plates (males only): Absent, but small ventral plaques may be present
• Coxae: With two spurs in all instars
• Trochanters: With a single subterminal ventral spur (absent in B. glebopalma ).
• Hosts: Varanid lizards, wobat (Vombatus and Lasiorhinus species) and echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) 
• Distribution: Australia and New Guinea

Nymphs

Larvae

• Anal groove: Absent
• Palpi: Long with 4 articles
• Festoons: Present and numbering 11
• Number of large wax glands near s6: Three pair of large wax glands between MD2 and MD3 (s6 )
• Tibial setae: ad2 and pd2 on legs 2-3 absent
• Eyes: Absent
• Post hypostomal setae: 1 pair present
• Parma: With lyrifissure pair iSv6 present
• Tibial setae: ad2 and pd2 on legs 2-3 absent

Species occuring in New Zealand

Amblyomma (Aponomma) sphenodonti (endemic)

Species that are considered to be a risk

The hosts of Amblyomma (Aponomma) are largely restricted to reptiles.  It is therefore unlikely that members of this genus will gain entry to New Zealand via attachment to humans and/or compainion aninals such as dogs and cats. It is therefore unlikely that members of this genus will gain entry to New Zealand via attachment to humans and/or compainion aninals such as dogs and cats.  Furthermore the movement of reptiles into New Zealand via the pet trade is small.  It is therfore considered  the Amblyomma (Aponomma) are unlikely to gain entry into New Zealand and are not considered to be of a high risk.  However, if a species from this genus did establish in New Zealand it is possible that it would pose a risk to our reptile fauna.

The hosts of Bothriocroton are restricted to varanid lizards,  and wombat (Vombatus and Lasiorhinus species), and echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus).  As it is unlikely that these host species will gain entry to and don't occur in New Zealand ticks belonginh to the genus Bothriocroton are not considered to pose a high risk. 

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Species previously intercepted at border

Region of origin/species

Australia: B. (Aponomma) hydrosauri

General comments

A majority of the recognised Bothriocroton were traditionally assigned to Aponomma.  However based on the evidence presented in Klompen et al. (2002) 5 species of Australian Aponomma were transferred to the genus Bothriocroton while the remaining 20 species of Aponomma were transferred into the genus Amblyomma.  The only species formally belonging to the genus Apomomma previously intercepted at New Zealands border is B. (Aponomma) hydrosauri. It is unlikely that the former Aponomma present a significant threat to New Zealands animal production systems.  However, they may potentially represent a threat to herptiles that are endemic to New Zealand should they become established in this country.

Bothriocroton

• Restricted to Australia and New Guinea
• Hosts include varanid lizards, wombat and echidna
• Not known to vector any diseases

Useful references

Barker SC & Murrell A  2004.  Systematics and evolution of ticks with a list of valid genus and species names.  Parasitology, 129: S15-S36.

Camicas, JL, hervy JP, Adam, F & Morel PC 1998.  Les Tiques de Monde.  Nomenclature, stades decrits, hotes, repartition.  The ticks of the world.  Nomenclature, described stages, hosts, distribution (Acarida, Ixodida). France , Orstom Editions.

Horack IG, Camicas, J-L & Kierans, JE 2002. The Argasidae, Ixodidae and Nuttalliellidae (Acari: Ixodida): a world list of valid tick names.  Experimental and Applied Acarology, 28: 27-54.

Klompen H, Dobson SJ & Barker SC 2002.  A new subfamily, Bothriocrotoninae n. subfam., for the genus Bothriocroton Kerians, King & Sharrad, 1994 status amend. (Ixodida: Ixodidae), and the synonymy of Aponomma Neumann, 1899 with Amblyomma Koch, 1844.  Systematic Parasitology, 53: 101-107.

Roberts FHS 1970.  Australian Ticks.  Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Melborne.  267 pp.