2019, Cilt 35, Sayı 3, Sayfa(lar) 158-164
Prevalence of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera) population of Konya
Uğur Uslu1, Muhammad Sohail Sajid2, Onur Ceylan3, Adil Ejaz2
1Selcuk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, Konya, Turkey
2University of Agriculture, Department of Parasitology, Faisalabad, Pakistan
3Selcuk University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Konya, Turkey
Keywords: Testudo graeca ibera, Hyalomma aegyptium, Hyalomma marginatum marginatum, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Konya
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Aim:This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of ixodid tick species which play a role in the transmission of many diseases in humans and animals in spur-thighed tortoises.

Materials and Methods: Ticks were brought to the Laboratory of Parasitology by putting in sample collection bottles containing 70% ethanol and and were taxonomically identified was using standard keys.

Results: All tortoises were found infested with ticks. Three species of ticks viz; Hyalomma aegyptium, H. marginatum marginatum and Rhipicephalus turanicus were detected in the tortoises. Majority of tortoises (89.2%) were found infested with H. aegyptium only. However, seven (10.8%) were found infested with more than one tick species (4 of 7 co-infested with H. aegyptium and R. turanicus and 3 of 7 co-infested with H. aegyptium and H. m. marginatum). Earlier, H. aegyptium was the only tick species reported from tortoises of Turkey. As a result of this study, H. m. marginatum and R. turanicus have also been shown to be infestation agents.

Conclusion: It is concluded that the contiguous population of tortoises in Konya region together with optimum environmental compatibility favor the settlement and propagation of hard ticks in the tortoise population.