Unstudied.

DISEASE RELATIONS

REMARKS

The haller's organ of R. supertritus has been illustrated by Schulze (1941). Zumpt (1942B) includes R. supertritus in the R. capensis group (see R. longus, page 667).

IDENT IF ICATION

This rugose species has been described best by Theiler (1947). Variations are within the general remarks below.

Male: This species is usually large, from 3.3 mm. to 5.3 mm. long and from 1.3 mm. to 3.3 mm. wide, and usually black. It is easily recognized by a combination of characters including a pointed dorsal projection of coxa I; scutal punctations that are large, dense, and closely spaced or contiguous; and conspicuous reticulation or shagreening of the cervical areas and of the posterior grooves. The posteromedian groove is longer and narrower than the paramedian grooves; the lateral grooves are wide and deep. One or three median festoons protrude upon engorgement. The narrowly elongate adanal shields have a moderately convex outer margin and an almost straight or slightly concave inner margin; these margins meet at a pointed or a rounded anterior and posterior juncture and the shields are more ovoid than triangular in shape.

Female: Conspicuous shagreening or reticulation of the cervical areas and of the lateral grooves also distinguishes females of this species. The punctations are coarse and rugose, adjacent or contiguous centrally. The dark brown scutum, which is about as wide as long, has flat eyes at about midlength and a sinuous or gradually rounded posterior margin. Its pronounced lateral grooves are impunctate and extend to the posterior margin; the cervical grooves are deep and converging anteriorly, superficial and diverging posteriorly.

Figures 317 and 318, o, dorsal and ventral views Figures 319 and 320, o, dorsal and ventral views.

RHIPICEPHALUS TRICUSPIS
Sudan specimens

PLATE LXXXVIII

- 771

RHIPICEPHALUS TRICUSPIS Dönitz, 1906*

(= R. LUNULATUS Neumann, 1907B).

(Figures 317 to 320)

THE TRICUSPID GLOSSY TICK

DISTRIBUTION IN THE SUDAN

Bahr El M. Reid or N.A. Hancock, collectors: 200, 200 from tiang, Damaliscus korrigum tiang, April. lo from warthog, Phacochoerus aethiopicus subspp., 4 September. lo from oribi, Ourebia ourebi subspp., 7 June.

Reid or N. Ghazal: All from Galual-Nyang Forest, 1953; E. T.

lo from giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis subspp., 17 August.

200, lo from domestic horse from Busseri, 20 June.

R. tricuspis is not known from elsewhere in the Sudan but probably also occurs on the west bank of Equatoria Province.

DISTRIBUTION

R. tricuspis is scattered throughout Africa, within the Ethiopian Faunal Region.

WEST AFRICA: NIGERIA (Unsworth 1949,1952. Gambles 1951). TOGO (AS R. glyphis: Donitz 1910A). SIERRA LEONE (Zumpt 1943A). FRENCH WEST AFRICA (Rousselot 1951,1953B). PORTUGESE GUINEA (Tendeiro 1951E,1952B,C,E,1953,1954). GOLD COAST (Stewart 1935).

Dr. G. Theiler has kindly made an extensive study of the morphological variation, distribution, ecology, and taxonomy of this species especially for this work. See also her review of R. tricuspis (1947, pp. 292–298).

CENTRAL AFRICA: *CAMEROONS (Unsworth 1952. Rageau 1953A,B). *FRENCH EQUATORIAL AFRICA (Rousselot 1953B). *BELGIAN CONGO (Neumann 1907B. Massey 1908. Schoenaers 1951A. Nuttall and Warburton 1916. Schwetz 1927B. Bequaert 1930B,1931. Fain 1949. Theiler and Robin son 1954. Santos Dias 1954D. Van Vaerenbergh 1954).

EAST AFRICA: SUDAN (Hoogstraal 1954B).

ITALIAN SOMALILAND (Paoli 1916.

Stella 1940).

UGANDA (Neave 1912. Mettam 1932. Wilson 1950C). KENYA (Lewis 1931C. Binns 1951). TANGANYIKA (Dönitz 1910B. As R. glyphis: Dönitz 1910A. Zumpt 1943A).

SOUTHERN AFRICA: *ANGOLA (Gamble 1914. Sousa Dias 1950. Specimens collected by Wellman seen in BMNH; see also HOSTS below). MOZAMBIQUE (Santos Dias 1950D, 1952C,D,H,1953B).

NORTHERN RHODESIA (Theiler 1947. Matthysse 1954. Theiler and Robinson 1954). *NYASALAND (Neave 1912. Warburton 1912. Theiler 1947. Wilson 1950B).

Bed

*BECHUANALAND (Dönitz 1906,1910B. Theiler 1947). SOUTHWEST AFRICA (Dönitz 1910B). *UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA (Howard 1908. ford 1920,1926,193 28. Theiler 1947).

HOSTS

Domestic animals and many larger game animals serve as hosts for R. tricuspis. Immature stage hosts in nature are unknown.

11

Domestic animals: Horses (Neumann 1907B, Massey 1908, Zumpt 1943A, Sudan records above). Cattle (Dönitz 1910A,B, Nuttall and Warburton 1916, Schwetz 1927B, Zumpt 1943A, Theiler 1947, Wilson 1950B, Binns 1951, Rousselot 1951,1953B, Schoenaers 1951A, Santos Dias 1953B, Matthysse 1954, Van Vaerenbergh 1954). Sheep and

*Theiler (correspondence) has seen additional material from these

territories.

goats (Nuttall and Warburton 1916, Theiler 1947, Wilson 1950B). Pigs (Gamble 1914, Tendeiro 1951E,1952). Dogs (Gamble 1914, Nuttall and Warburton 1916, Wilson 1950B, Santos Dias 1952D, Matthysse 1954).

Wild animals: Lion and serval (Wilson 1950B). Leopard (Zumpt 19434). "Wild dog" (Lewis 1931C). Buffalo (Wilson 1950B, Santos Dias 1953B). Forest dwarf buffalo (Tendeiro 1951,1952B, C,E,1953,1954). Zebra, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, and sable antelope (Santos Dias 1953B). Oribi (gwape) and steinbuck (Wilson 1950B). Duikers, various (Wilson 1950B, Santos Dias 1953B). Waterbuck and bushbuck (Mettam 1932). Reedbuck (Wil son 1950B, Santos Dias 1950D,1953B). Oribi, tiang, and giraffe (Sudan records above). Bushpig (Dönitz 1910A, Zumpt 1943A, Santos Dias 1950D,1953B). Warthog (Wilson 1950B, Santos Dias 1953B, Sudan record above). Hedgehog (Neumann 1911). Hares (Theiler 1947, Wilson 1950B). Fruit bat (Specimens collected by Karl Jordan, now in BMNH; probably a decidedly exceptional host).

BIOLOGY

Life Cycle

R. tricuspis has been reared by Theiler (correspondence) for the morphological studies reported by her (1947). The life cycle details will be published subsequently.

Ecology

In order to determine whether there might be ecological or other distributional factors between R. tricuspis and what has been reported as R. lunulatus, Theiler (correspondence) has checked all locality records against data for vegetation type, rainfall, extent of dry season, and relative humidity. She finds that both range indiscriminately from (1) dry forests of the Rhodesian highlands through (2) highgrass low tree savannah or Guinea southern Congo savannah, and (3) acacia desert grass savannah of the Sudan and northern Kalahari to (4) tallgrass subtropical evergreen and deciduous tree and thorn forest.