Dorsal view of a typical Rhipicephalus male with identifying features of the genus arrowed (Copyright, James Gathany, Center for Disease Control and Prevention Indiana ) (click on thumbnail for larger image).

Ventral view of a typical male Rhipcephalus with identifying features of the genus arrowed (Copyright, Walker et al. 2007).

Number of species in genus

74 species (Barker & Murrell 2004)

Species list

R. appendiculatus Neumann, 1901
R. aquatilis Walter, Keirans & Pegram, 1993
R. armatus Pococ 1900
R. arnoldi Theiler & Zumpt, 1949
R. bequaerti Zumpt, 1949
R. bergeoni Morel & Balis, 1976
R. boueti Morel, 1957
R. bursa Canestrini & Fanzago, 1878
R. camicasi Morel, Mouchet & Rodhain, 1976
R. capensis Koch, 1844
R. carnivoralis Walker, 1966
R. complanatus Neumann, 1911
R. compositus Neumann, 1897
R. cuspidatus Neumann, 1906
R. deltoideus Neumann, 1910
R. distinctus Bedford, 1932
R. duttoni Neumann, 1907
R. dux Donitz, 1910
R. evertsi Neumann, 1897
R. exophthalmos Keirans & Walker, 1993
R. follis Donitz, 1910
R. fulvus Neumann, 1913
R. gertrudae Feldman-Muhsam, 1960
R. glabroscutatum Du Toit, 1941
R. guilhoni Morel & Vassiliades, 1963
R. haemaphysaloides Supino, 1897
R. humeralis Tonelli-Rondelli, 1926
R. hurti Wilson, 1954
R. interventus Walker, Pegram & Keirans 1995
R. jeanneli Neumann, 1913
R. kochi Donitz, 1905
R. leporis Pomerantsev, 1946
R. longiceps Warburton, 1912
R. longicoxatus Neumann, 1905
R. longus Neumann, 1907
R. lounsburyi Walker, 1990
R. lunulatus Neumann, 1907
R. maculatus Neumann, 1901
R. masseyi Nuttell & Warburton, 1908
R. moucheti Morel, 1965
R. muehlensi Zumpt, 1943
R. muhsamae Morel & Vassiliades, 1965
R. neumanni Walker, 1990
R. nitens Neumann, 1904
R. oculatus Neumann, 1901
R. oreotragi Walker & Hora 2000
R. pilans Schulze, 1935
R. planus Neumann, 1907
R. praetextatus Gerstacker, 1873
R. pravus Donitz, 1910
R. pseudolongus Santos Dias, 1953
R. pulchellus (Gersta�cker, 1873)
R. pumilio Schluze, 1935
R. punctatus Warburton, 1912
R. pusillus Gil Collado, 1936
R. ramachandrai Dhanda, 1966
R. rossicus Yakimov & Kol-Yakimova, 1911
R. sanguineus (Latreille, 1806)
R. scalpturatus Santos Dias, 1959
R. schulzei Olenev, 1929
R. sculptus Warburton, 1912
R. senegalensis Koch, 1844
R. serranoi Santos Dias, 1950
R. simpsoni Nuttall, 1910
R. simus Koch, 1844
R. sulcatus Neumann, 1908
R. supertritus Neumann, 1907
R. theileri Bedford & Hewitt, 1925
R. tricuspis Donitz, 1906
R. turanicus Pomerantsev, 1936
R. warburtoni Walker & Hora 2000
R. zambeziensis Walker, Norval & Corwin, 1981
R. ziemanni Neumann, 1904
R. zumpti Santos Diaz, 1950

Identifying features of genus

Adults

• Anal groove: Present and embracing the anus posteriorly
• Eyes: Present
• Festoons: Present
• Basis capituli: Hexagonal
• Ornamentation: Usually inornate (4 ornate species)
• Palpi: Short but not ridged dorsally and laterally
• Ventral plates (males only): With adanal and accessory plates

Nymphs

• Anal groove: Present and embracing the anus posteriorly
• Eyes: Present
• Festoons: Present
• Basis capituli: Hexagonal
• Palpi: Short but not ridged dorsally and laterally

Larvae

• Anal groove: Absent
• Palpi: Short (length < 2x width)
• Lateral large wax glands: Present and located between setae S1 (Md4) and S2 (Md5)
• Added or additional large wax glands: None
• Festoons: Present and numbering 9
• Eyes: Present
• Post hypostomal setae: 1 pair present

Species occuring in New Zealand

As of June 2008 no species from this genus have recorded as being resident in New Zealand

Species that are considered to be a risk

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Species previously intercepted at border

Origin of specimen/species
Australia: R. sanguineus
North America/USA: R. sanguineus
Asia/South East Asia: R. sanguineus, R. aquatilis    
Africa/South Africa: R. sanguineus
Pacific, western and central: R. sanguineus

General comments

R. sanguineus is a speces that is frequently intercepted at New Zealands borders.  The most frequent route of   This species is most frequently found on dogs being imported into New Zealand. Therefore the potential for accidental importation of this species via dogs should be considered high.  

Other general notes

• Nearly all species originate from Africa and adjacent areas in Europe and Asia, but a few, especially R. sanguineus, occur world wide
• Hosts of adults are medium to large sized mammals
• Vectors of several pathogens including agents of canine ehrlichiosis and East Coast fever.
  

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.

Hillyard PD  1996.  Ticks of north-west Europe. Synopsses of the British fauna (new series). No 52.  Published for the linnean Society of London and the Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association by Field Studies Council Publications, Montford Bridge, UK 178 pp. 

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

Walker JB, Keirans KE & Horack IG 2000.  The genus Rhipicephalus (Acari, Ixodidae) a guide to the brown ticks of the world.  CambridgeUniversity Press. 643 p.