The Eldari tick Ixodes eldaricus (Acari: Ixodidae) in Israel: its occurrence, morphometric and biological characteristics

Abstract

An isolated population of the Eldari tick Ixodes eldaricus Dzhaparidze was studied in the southernmost part of the tick range (western surroundings of Jerusalem, Israel). Unfed adult and nymphal ticks were active from November through April. Ticks could be collected by flagging only from the grass just above the earth. A bimodal activity pattern was observed for adults with a decline in January characterized by the lowest air temperatures. Nymphal ticks had smaller size of their scutum as compared with specimens from the main part of the range. No mating adults were found during survey but when placed in a tube, males and females were immediately observed in the mating position. No tendency to attack humans or attach to them were registered in the field or in laboratory experiments. While having no apparent epidemiological significance, I. eldaricus deserves attention because of its possible role in epizootiology of rickettsial infections, which are common in the area of the survey.

Keywords

• Ixodes eldaricus
• redikorzevi group
• season of tick activity
• tick size and weight
• mating
• human affinity
• epizootiology
• Israel

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