ArticleParasites & vectors2023
Molecular-phylogenetic analyses of Ixodes species from South Africa suggest an African origin of bird-associated exophilic ticks (subgenus Trichotoixodes).
Article in Parasites & vectors, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Ecological review of AfrotropicalCurrent research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases · 2026Review
- Bacterial Communities Harboured by Amblyomma Hebraeum Infesting Small Stock in Mahikeng city, South Africa.Microbial ecology · 2025Article
- Identity of Ixodes ugandanus Neumann, 1906 (Acari: Ixodidae), reinstatement of I. ampullaceus Warburton, 1933 as a valid species and redescription of I. aulacodi Arthur, 1956, parasites of rodents and other animals in sub-Saharan Africa.Systematic parasitology · 2025Article
- Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Tick Species Infesting Cattle in South Africa.Veterinary sciences · 2024Article
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Abstract
backgroundAmong hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), the genus Ixodes comprises the highest number of species, which in turn are most numerous in the Afrotropical zoogeographic region. In South Africa extensive morphological studies have been performed on Ixodes species but only few reports included molecular analyses.
methodsIn this study, 58 Ixodes spp. ticks, collected from ten mammalian and eight avian host species in South Africa, were molecularly and phylogenetically analyzed. In addition, a newly collected sample of the Palearctic Ixodes trianguliceps was included in the analyses.
resultsAmong the ticks from South Africa, 11 species were identified morphologically. The majority of ticks from mammals represented the Ixodes pilosus group with two species (n = 20), followed by ticks resembling Ixodes rubicundus (n = 18) and Ixodes alluaudi (n = 3). In addition, single specimens of Ixodes rhabdomysae, Ixodes ugandanus, Ixodes nairobiensis and Ixodes simplex were also found. Considering bird-infesting ticks, Ixodes theilerae (n = 7), Ixodes uriae (n = 4) and ticks most similar to Ixodes daveyi (provisionally named I. cf. daveyi, n = 2) were identified. Molecular analyses confirmed two species in the I. pilosus group and a new species (I. cf. rubicundus) closely related to I. rubicundus sensu stricto. Phylogenetic trees based on concatenated mitochondrial or mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences indicated that the subgenus Afrixodes forms a monophyletic clade with bird-associated exophilic ticks (subgenus Trichotoixodes). Ixodes trianguliceps clustered separately whereas I. alluaudi with their morphologically assigned subgenus, Exopalpiger.
conclusionsPhylogenetic analyses shed new lights on the relationships of Ixodes subgenera when including multiple sequences from subgenus Afrixodes and African as well as Palearctic species of subgenera Trichotoixodes and Exopalpiger. Subgenera Afrixodes and bird-associated Trichotoixodes share common ancestry, suggesting that the latter might have also originated in Africa. Regarding the subgenus Exopalpiger, I. alluaudi is properly assigned as it clusters among different Australian Ixodes, whereas I. trianguliceps should be excluded.
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