In the present note the resu1ts of preliminary studies on tick distribution in two areas of Sardinia (Cagliari

and Ogliastra) are reported

Addis, Giuseppe

Cabras, Pierangela

Fois, Francesco

Patta, Cristiana

Piras, Pierpaola

Satta, Giuseppe

UnissResearch

Parassitologia 48, 2006 SOIPA XXIV ABSTRACTS 
Identification of ticks collected in two areas of Sardinia 
Fois F., Piras P., Addis G., Cabras P., Patta C., Satta G. 
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna "G. Pegreffi", Sassari, Italy. 
349 
In the present note the resu1ts of preliminary studies on tiek distribution in two areas of Sardinia (Cagliari 
and Ogliastra) are reported. Sampling of tieks from wiId mammals (wiId boar, pigeon, muflon, deer, hedge-
hog), domestie mammals (sheep, goat, horse, cattle, dog, cat, etc.), soiI and vegetation, was performed from 
December 2004 to December 2005. In a total of 22 sites in Cagliari area and IO sites in Ogliastra area about 
2895 tieks were investigated, including Ixodidae and Argasidae families, in different life stages (1374 adults, 
14 nymphs and 1507 larvae). Tieks collected were placed into 70% ethanol and identified by standard tax-
onomie keys (Manilla G, 1998, Acari Ixodidae, Fauna d'Italia, Calderini, Bologna). Tiek species identified 
include: 'Argas reflexus (0.03%), Boophilus annulatus (0.45%), Dermacentor marginatus (0.450/0), 
Haemaphysalis sulcata (0.70%), Hyalomma marginatum marginatum (0.55%), /xodes ricinus (0.030/0), 
Rhipicephalus bursa (2.000/0), Rhipicephalus pusillus (0.03%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (90.95%) and 
Rhipicephalus turanicus (4.80%). The most common species, by a strong adaptability, seems to be R. san-
guineus (collected in both areas) whieh is a dog-associated species (92.19%), on sheep and goat (7.10%), 
cattle (0.09%), hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus (0.09%) and in soiI and vegetation (0.53%). An other sig-
nifieant species is R. bursa found on horse (51.71 %), muflon, Ovis musimon (22.40%), goat (10.340/0), cat-
tle (12.10%), deer, Cervus elaphus corsicanus (3.45%). 
D. marginatus was found only on wild boar, Sus scrofa meridionalis, so as H. sulcata was withdrawn in 
sheep and goats. The favourable climatic factors, the vegetation and the abundance of hosts support the find-
ing of tieks also during the winter. 
Our results show that the most common species in Sardinia is R.sanguineus and the presence of Argas 
reflexus on pigeon is confirmed. 1. ricinus is not an endemie species in the island, so it is probably to sup-
pose that the found models are due to a casual evento 


Identification of ticks collected in two areas of Sardinia

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