Abstract:
Ticks transmit pathogens of veterinary and public health importance. Understanding their diversity is critical as infestations lead to significant economic losses globally. To date, over 90 species across three families have been identified in South
Africa. However, the taxonomy of most species has not been resolved due to morphological identification challenges. DNA
barcoding through the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) is therefore a valuable tool for species verifications for biodiversity
assessments. This study conducted an analysis of South African tick COI barcodes on BOLD by verifying species on checklists,
literature, and other sequence databases. The compiled list represented 97 species, including indigenous (59), endemics (27),
introduced (2), invasives (1), and eight that could not be classified. Analyses indicated that 31 species (32%) from 11 genera
have verified COI barcodes. These are distributed across all nine provinces with the Eastern Cape having the highest species
diversity, followed by Limpopo, with KwaZulu-Natal having the least diversity. Rhipicephalus, Hyalomma, and Argas species had
multiple barcode index numbers, suggesting cryptic diversity or unresolved taxonomy. We identified 21 species of veterinary
or zoonotic importance from the Argasidae and Ixodidae families that should be prioritised for barcoding. Coordinating studies and defining barcoding targets is necessary to ensure that tick checklists are updated to support decision-making for the control of vector-borne diseases and alien invasives.
