Bull 487 BULLETIN OF THE IRAQ NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Hadi, A. M. Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. (2024) 18 (2): 487- 495. https://doi.org/10.26842/binhm.7.2024.18.2.0487 SHORT COMMUNICATION REDESCRIPTION OF RHIPICEPHALUS PRAVUS DONITZ, 1910 (IXODIDA, IXODIDAE) ON SHEEP IN IRAQ Afkar M. Hadi Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq. E-mail: afkar@nhm.uobaghdad.edu.iq Received: 24 Dec. 2023, Revised:22 May 2024, Accepted: 28 May 2024, Published:20 December 2024 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ABSTRACT The current investigation was to redescribe the morphology of the species of hard tick, Rhipicephalus pravus Dönitz, 1910 (Ixodida, Ixodidae) that was recently recorded from Baghdad Province, central of Iraq. A total of 130 sheep were obtained from the local animal markets in Baghdad Province, throughout the period from May 2022 to November 2023; these sheep were examined for the presence of hard ticks. The current study revealed five sheep infested with R. pravus in Baghdad Province. The specimens were deposited in the Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum-Baghdad University under the number: INHM, 2023: Hard Ticks, No. 1.1. Hard tick-borne pathogens were reviewed, so this species of tick was associated with several pathogens, so it an important species that affects public health and livestock as well. The present description was provided with pictures and illustrations. Keywords: Hard ticks, Hemorrhagic fever, Livestock, Morphology, Sheep. INTRODUCTION Hard ticks have borne many pathogens, like Rickettsia sp., Babesia sp., Theleria sp., and Anaplasma sp. (Addo et al., 2023), and other pathogens (Makawi et al., 2023). Iraq is considered an endemic country for both theileriosis and babesiosis which are transmitted by hard ticks (Hadi and Al Amery, 2012; Makawi and Hadi, 2023). The real-risk disease for both humans and animals that is transmitted by ticks is viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) (Ergönül et al., 2018). The first description of the species Rhipicephalus pravus Dönitz, 1910 was by Donitz in 1910, from buffalo and giraffe on the Masai Steppe in Tanganyika (Walker, 1956). Zumpt (1942) re-described it in many regions of Tanganyika, Kenya, and Abyssinia. Then, Theiler and Robinson (1953) bred the adults in the laboratory, described the larvae and nymphs, and discussed the biology, distribution, and synonyms of the species. R. pravus infested many hosts like cattle, sheep, goats, camels, dogs, horses, donkeys, pigs, elephants, and hares (Walker et al., 2014). The study aimed to re-describe the morphology of R. pravus in a new locality from Iraq. BULLETIN OF THE IRAQ NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Iraq Natural History Research Center & Museum, University of Baghdad https://jnhm.uobaghdad.edu.iq/index.php/BINHM/Home Copyright © Bulletin of the Iraq Natural History Museum Online ISSN: 2311-9799-Print ISSN: 1017-8678 https://doi.org/10.26842/binhm.7.2024.18.2.0487 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7928-8702 mailto:afkar@nhm.uobaghdad.edu.iq https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://jnhm.uobaghdad.edu.iq/index.php/BINHM/Home 488 Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. 18 (2): 487- 495. Redescription of Rhipicephalus pravus Specimens' collection From May 2022 to November 2023, a total of 130 sheep were inspected in order to collect hard ticks from nearby livestock markets in Baghdad Province. We looked at every animal to check for hard ticks in the tail, between the legs, ears, neck, and area around the eyes. Put cotton dipped in 70% alcohol in the tick's position to numb and loosen the mouth's skin- attached parts, then remove it with tweezers (Soulsby, 1982). After being kept in 70% alcohol, the separated ticks were sent to the Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum (INHM)/University of Baghdad for identification, photography, and drawing by camera Lucida. Distribution, specimens' information and Re- description The current study revealed five sheep were infested with Rhipicephalus pravus in Baghdad Province, central of Iraq. The specimens of the mentioned species were preserved in the Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum. Rhipicephalus pravus Dönitz, 1910 Synonym: Rhipicephalus (Rhipicephalus) pravus Santos Dias, 1955 Habitat: it was found between the host legs. Date of Collecting: 10.v. 2023. Host: Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758 Host locality: Baghdad, Iraq. Museum deposit number: INHM, 2023, Hard Ticks, No. 1.1. Prior to this, Tahmaz (2021) discovered R. pravus in bulk sheep in the northern Iraqi province of Erbil; Al Ebrahemi (2023) rediscovered it in cattle in the central Iraqi province of Al Najaf Al Ashraf. On the other hand, the current study recoded it as a new local from Iraq on the sheep from Baghdad (Map 1). This result agreed with Tamirat (2022), who reviewed a significant abundance of Rhipicephalus pravus in the arid and semi-arid areas of Ethiopia, which indicates that it is resistant to drought. 489 BULLETIN OF THE IRAQ NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Hadi, A. M. Map (1): Locations of the Rhipicephalus pravus in Iraq (Note the colored circles). The current study stated that this hard tick infests livestock (sheep and cattle) and agrees with Obara et al. (2020), who recorded infesting buffalo in Uganda. While Dulacha et al. (2023) revealed that the ratio of infested cattle with this species was 49.7% in southern Ethiopia. The current study described the morphology of R. pravus, because of the previous recordings were without morphological description. So, this represents additional data for the diversity of hard ticks in Iraq. Rhipicephalus pravus was similar to R. appendiculatus (Walker et al., 2014). The current study describes the similarities in them as for conscutum color, first coxae spurs, accessory adanal plate, spiracle plate areas, and caudal appendage (Tab. 1). The present study describes the differential diagnosis between them in interstitial punctuation distribution, setiferous punctations, apparent cervical fields depression, eyes, adanal plate shape, and posterior grooves (Tab. 2, Pls 1- 3). 490 Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. 18 (2): 487- 495. Redescription of Rhipicephalus pravus Table (1): Similarities between males of Rhipicephalus pravus and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. Features Description Conscutum color Dark First Coxae spurs Visible dorsally Accessory adanal plate Small Spiracle plate areas having sparse setae Caudal appendage Narrow in fed males Table (2): Differential diagnosis between Rhipicephalus pravus and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. Features R. pravus R. appendiculatus Interstitial punctation distribution Dense Sparse Setiferous punctations Distinct Indistinct Cervical fields depression is apparent Forming a narrow cervical field Forming a wide cervical field Eyes Distinctly convex Slightly convex Adanal plates shape Narrow trapezoid Wide trapezoid Posterior grooves Deep and with rough texture Shallow and with wrinkled texture Lateral grooves type They extend to the eyes They not extend to the eyes Plate (1): Dorsal view of R. pravus male. (1: Cervical fields, 2=Eye, 3: Lateral groove, 4: posterior groove, 5: caudal appendage). 491 BULLETIN OF THE IRAQ NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Hadi, A. M. Plate (2): Ventral view of R. pravus, male. (1: Spiracle plate areas, 2: Adanal plates, 3: Accessory adanal plates). Plate (3): Ventral plates of R. pravus, male. Drawing by Camera Lucida in INHM. (1: Spiracle plate, 2: Accessory adanal plates, 3: Spiracle plate areas, 4: Adanal plates, 5: Caudal appendage). Rhipicephalus pravus borne pathogen The paralysis syndrome has been studied in detail by Gothe et al. (1979) and Gregson (1973), who revealed the species that cause paralysis as Argas walkerae, Dermacentor andersoni, Ixodes holocylus and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi. Then, Fourei et al. (1988) added Rhipicephalus pravus to this list because it caused paralysis in Angora goat kids in South Africa. Byaruhanga et al. (2021) revealed that R. pravus was the vector to transposrt Theileria parva in cattle. Mucheka et al. (2023) revealed Rhipicephalus sp. as a vector to Theileria spp., Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Coxiella spp., and Babesia spp. in domestic animals. From the above above-borne pathogen, appears that R. pravus was associated with several pathogens, so we consider it an important species that affects public health and livestock as well. 492 Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. 18 (2): 487- 495. Redescription of Rhipicephalus pravus CONCLUSIONS The current study recorded the species Rhipicephalus pravus in sheep in Baghdad as a new local. After it was recorded in Erbil province in northern Iraq and Al Najaf Al Ashraf province in southern Iraq, this indicates that it is resistant to drought, and can survive in many habitats. Hard tick-borne pathogens were reviewed, so R. pravus was associated with several pathogens, so we consider it an important species that affects public health and livestock as well. CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT "There is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article". 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Zeitschrift fur Parasitenkunde Springer, 12: 538-551. [CrossRef] https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182000026500 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02122545 495 BULLETIN OF THE IRAQ NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Hadi, A. M. Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. (2024) 18 (2): 487-495. Donitz, 1910 Rhipicephalus pravus للقراداعادة وصف (Ixodida, Ixodidae) العراق في األغنام على أفكار مسلم هادي العراق., بغداد, بغداد جامعة, الطبيعي التاريخ ومتحف بحوث مركز 20/12/2024، النشر: 28/5/2024القبول: ،22/5/2024املراجعة: ،24/12/2023االستالم: الخالصة نوع القراد الصلبل املظهري وصف الهدف البحث الحالي إلى إعادة Rhipicephalus pravus Dönitz, 1910 (Ixodida, Ixodidae) , الذي تم تسجيله في محافظة بغداد, وسط العراق. ً مؤخرا من أسواق الحيوانا 130 ص ح ف ً تخروفا اذ ؛2023إلى تشرين الثاني 2022من أيار املدة املحلية في محافظة بغداد, خالل هذه األغنام للتأكد من وجود القراد الصلب. كشفت الدراسة الحالية عن تحص ف ح في محافظة بغداد. R. pravusإصابة خمسة أغنام بالقراد الصلب نوع تفظ الرقم ب جامعة بغداد -العينات في مركز بحوث ومتحف التاريخ الطبيعي العراقي مراجعة نواقل االمراض الذي جرت . INHM, 2023: Hard Ticks, No.1.1املتحفي: بعدة مسببات مرضية, القرادهذا النوع من ارتبط يحمله القراد الصلب, حيث لصحة العامة والثروة الحيوانية أيًضا. لذلك نعتبره من األنواع املهمة التي تؤثر على ا ص و وقد تصويره ورسمه لتسهيل تشخيصه من قبل تمو ظهريامالنوع املذكور ف الباحثين.