KEY TO SUDAN SPECIES OF ARGAS

MATES AND FEMALES

1. Pair of transverse, slitlike organs situated just posterior of anus. outline generally subcircular or wider than long. (Bat parasites)..

Ventral paired organs lacking.

Body

....2

Body

outline oblong, considerably longer than wide. (Not bat parasites).......

2. Legs as long as or longer than body. Hood present. Peripheral differentia tion of integument and lateral suture lacking..

Legs shorter than body...

3. Body outline considerably wider than long. Hood present. Peripheral differentiation of integument and lateral suture lacking...

Body outline generally subcircular or
circular, never as wide as A. confusus.
Hood absent. Peripheral integument
striated and lateral suture present...

4. Dorsum with large, depressed polygonal areas. Size large (15 mm. to 22 mm. long). (Adults parasitic on mammals).

Dorsum finely wrinkled. Size moderate (10 mm. long, usually less). (Fowl parasites)....

.....4

..A. BOUETI

Figures 23,24,33,34

..3

.A. CONFUSUS Figures 25,26,35,36

...A. VESPERTILIONIS Figures 21,22,37,38

...A. BRUMPTI Figures 19,20,31,32

..........5

5. Dorsal and ventral periphery of distinct quadrangular "cells". Postpalpal hairs present. (Chicken parasite, common in Sudan)....

Dorsal and ventral periphery finely
wrinkled. Postpalpal hairs absent.
(Pigeon parasite, very rare in Sudan).

.A. PERSICUS

Figures 15,16,27,28

.A. REFLEXUS
Figures 17,18,29,30

Figures 15 and 16, Argas persicus
Figures 17 and 18, Argas reflexus
Figures 19 and 20, Argas brumpti

Figures 21 and 22, Argas vespertilionis
Figures 23 and 24, Argas boueti
Figures 25 and 26, Argas confusus

DORSAL PERIPHERAL DIFFERENTIATION (odd numbered figures) AND LATERAL
INTEGUMENT (even numbered figures) OF ARGAS SPECIES.

Note especially the presence of a lateral suture in Figures 16,18,20 and 22 and its absence in Figures 24 and 26.

Figures 27 and 28, Argas persicus, o, dorsal and ventral views Figures 29 and 30, Argas reflexus, o, dorsal and ventral views

ARGAS (ARGAS) PERSICUS and ARGAS (ARGAS) REFLEXUS

Egyptian Specimens

PLATE IX

- 58

ARGAS (ARGAS) PERSICUS (Oken, 1818).

(Figures 15,16,27 and 28)

THE POULTRY ARGAS OR FOWL TICK*.

19

684 96

48 2

EQUATORIA PROVINCE RECORDS

poultry house

Aug

DISTRIBUTION IN THE SUDAN

Throughout the Sudan (King 1926). In addition to the abovelisted Equatoria Province records, two localities have been published in the literature and I have seen specimens from the following places:

Upper Nile: Malakal (HH).

Bahr El Ghazal: Wau (SVS; HH).

Blue Nile: Kosti, Wad el Nail near Singa, Wad Medani (all SGC). "Blue Nile Districts" (Archibald 1923).

Kassala: Suakin (SCC).

Kordofan: Delami (SGC).

Darfur: Fasher (SVS).

Khartoum (SGC, SVS, Gordon College collection, HH). Omdurman (HH). See also Balfour (1906,1907,19088,1909,1910,1911A, B,C,D,E,G,1912) for spirochete studies on A. persicus from Khartoum.

Northern: Dongola (Neumann 1901). Wadi Halfa, Abu Hamed, Atbara, Ed Damer (HH).

*In South Africa, called "The Fowl Tampan" (Theiler 1952A,B).