The so-called Gulf Coast tick, of the Gulf Coast, occurs on birds, mammals and man, especially cattle, and attacks the ears.
Genus. Hyalomma, Koch.
Hyalomma ægyptium, L., 1758.
Syn.: Acarus ægyptius, L., 1758; Ixodes camelinus, Fischer, 1823.
A species frequently found in Africa, particularly in Egypt and Algeria, and which also occurs in France and Italy, as well as in Asia. Male 8 mm. in length, 4·5 mm. in breadth. Female up to 24 mm. in length and 15 mm. in breadth. It infests large and small animals as well as human beings.[342]
[This is one of the largest ticks, nearly reaching the size of the bont tick. It is known in Africa as the bont leg-tick; all farm stock is attacked, but sheep and goats suffer most. Only one generation appears to occur each year. The male is almost black with a pale marginal stripe; the replete female brown with irregular light blue stripes. It is abundant in parts of South Africa.]
Genus. Hæmaphysalis, Koch.
Hæmaphysalis punctata, Canestrini and Fanzago, 1877–1878.
Syn.: Hæmaphysalis sulcata, Canestrini and Fanzago, 1877–1878; Rhicocephalus expositicius, Koch, 1877; Hæmaphysalis peregrinus, Cambridge, 1889; Herpetobia sulcata, Canestrini, 1890.
[This species does not appear to be common. It occurs on sheep, goats, horses and cattle. I have seen a female taken from man in Britain. The female when fasting is 3·44 mm. long, when gorged 12 mm. long. Colour, reddish-brown, leaden-grey when gorged; dorsal shield deeply indented in front; rostrum, shield and legs brownish; body finely punctate, both above and below; sexual opening opposite the coxæ of the second pair of legs in both sexes. Palpi a little longer than the labium; first segment short and narrow, second and third widened on the dorsal face. Coxæ with a short, broad blunt spine; tarsi short, terminated with a spur on the first pair. The male is 3·10 mm. long. Body rather narrow, yellowish to reddish-brown; dorsal shield nearly covers the whole body; numerous punctures over the whole surface. Eleven indentations on the posterior margin of the body; peritremes lighter in colour, large and comma-shaped. The three anterior pairs of legs with a short spine on the haunches, the fourth with a very long one directed backwards. The nymph varies from 2·5 to 3·0 mm., is oval, and light yellow to dark red in colour. Dorsal shield rounded with few punctations. No spur on tarsi, and sexual orifice nearly obsolete. Larva short and oval. Length 1·20 mm.—F. V. T.]