Identification of tick species of dermacentor in some localities of Iran

ABSTRACT

This study conducted during 3 years period [2002-2004]. Tick sampling was randomly carried out from domestic animals during seasonal activity of ticks from six provinces of Iran. 2170 ticks from 151 cattle, 629 sheep, 336 goats and 32 camels were collected proin 30 prosseces with a mean number of 1.9 tick per animal. 209 Dermacentor ticks collected from six provinces [Kordestan, Ardebil, East Azarbaiejan, Zanjan, Khorasan and Semnan] that included 23% of collected tick population in those provinces. The diversity of Dermacentor is restricted to three species; D.niveus [50%], D.marginatus [27%] and D.raskemensis [23%]. The maximum occurance of D.raskemensis, D.niveus, D. marginatus, were occurred in provinces of Semnan, Khorasan and Kordestan, respectively. It can be concluded that livestock had almost different pattern of tick species in any localities thus distribution of D.raskemensis ,D.niveus, D. marginatus, has been confirmed this matter