Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XXX. Ectoparasites of kudus in the eastern Transvaal Lowveld and the eastern Cape Province

Abstract

Sets of four kudus were shot and examined for arthropod parasites at approximately monthly intervals from April 1981 to March 1983 in the southern part of the Kruger National Park, eastern Transvaal Lowveld. These animals harboured 10 ixodid tick species of which Boophilus decoloratus followed by Amblyomma hebraeum were the most abundant. The seasonal abundances of these ticks and of Amblyomma marmoreum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi and Rhipicephalus zambeziensis were determined. The kudus were also infested with 3 lice and 1 louse fly species, as well as the nymphs of a pentastomid. Sixteen kudus were shot in the Andries Vosloo Kudu Reserve, eastern Cape Province and 9 on an adjacent farm. These animals were infested with 12 tick species. A. hebraeum followed by Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum were the most abundant on kudus in the reserve and R. glabroscutatum followed by Haemaphysalis silacea on the animals on the farm. The seasonal abundances of A. hebraeum, A. marmoreum, H. silacea, R. appendiculatus, R. glabroscutatum and a Rhipicephalus sp. (near R. oculatus) were determined on the kudus in the reserve. The kudus were also infested with 3 lice and 1 louse fly species. Two kudus examined in the Addo Elephant National Park were infested with 6 tick, 1 louse and 1 louse fly species.