Abstract:
The objective of this study was to compare the tick species that infest African buffaloes
(Syncerus caffer) with those that infest domestic cattle in the Tsavo Conservation Area
in Kenya. To this end ticks were collected from cattle and African buffaloes within the
study locality. Fourteen tick species belonging to the genera Amblyomma, Hyalomma
and Rhipicephalus were collected. Eight species, namely Amblyomma gemma,
Amblyomma lepidum, Hyalomma albiparmatum, Hyalomma rufipes, Hyalomma
truncatum, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Rhipicephalus pravus and Rhipicephalus
pulchellus, were collected from cattle and from buffaloes sampled during the study
period. Three species, namely Hyalomma impeltatum, Rhipicephalus humeralis and
Rhipicephalus praetextatus, were present only on buffaloes, and three, Rhipicephalus
(Boophilus) sp., Rhipicephalus kochi, and Rhipicephalus muehlensi, were collected only
from cattle. Of all the ticks collected, those of the genus Amblyomma are associated
with the highest risk of disease and possibly with severe losses in cattle in the area.
New locality records for H. impeltatum and H. truncatum were determined and the first
locality records for R. praetextatus sensu stricto in Kenya are reported.
