Ticks (Argasidae, Ixodidae) and tick-borne diseases of continental Southeast Asia
Author
Petney, Trevor N.
Author
Boulanger, Nathalie
Author
Saijuntha, Weerachai
Author
Chitimia-Dobler, Lidia
Author
Pfeffer, Martin
Author
Eamudomkarn, Chatanun
Author
Andrews, Ross H.
Author
Ahamad, Mariana
Author
Putthasorn, Noppadon
Author
Muders, Senta V.
Author
Petney, David A.
Author
Robbins, Richard G.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-02-18
4558
1
1
89
journal article
28542
10.11646/zootaxa.4558.1.1
5f6ace70-93a7-400c-b58a-a1d2c95d3b53
1175-5326
2613120
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:71232906-9C90-4A6E-B893-83AC1574C8CA
Argas robertsi
Hoogstraal, Kaiser and Kohls, 1968
This is a relatively well studied species occurring in the Australasian and Oriental Regions. It is a parasite predominantly of large non-passerine birds associated with aquatic environments, such as egrets, herons, storks and ibis, and occasionally poultry (
Hoogstraal
et al
. 1968a
, 1974;
McKilligan 1987
;
Barker and Walker 2014
). In
Thailand
, the most common host species is the open-billed stork (
Anastomus oscitans
), with substantial collections coming from the Wat Phai Lom rookery in
Pathum Thani Province
, where the ticks are night active (Hoogstraal
et al
. 1974). This species was also collected in relatively high numbers from a black-crowned night heron (
Nycticorax nycticorax
) rookery in
Nakhon Nayok
(Hoogstraal
et al
. 1974).
The life cycle was described by Hoogstraal
et al
. (1975). It shows considerable variation in the timing of the different stages, depending on the climatic conditions in the area from which the ticks come. It can be found throughout the year, usually under the bark of trees where the hosts nest (
McKilligan 1987
).
All life history stages of
A. robertsi
are described in
Hoogstraal
et al
. (1968a)
, with an adult female illustrated in Hoogstraal
et al
. (1975).