Ixodid ticks of angora and boer goats, grysbok, common duikers, kudus and scrub hares in Valley Bushveld in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

At monthly intervals from February 1983 to January 1984 two Angora goats, two Boer goats, one grysbok, Raphicerus melanotis, one common duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia, one greater kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros, and four scrub hares, Lepus saxatilis, were killed on a farm in Valley Bushveld in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa and examined for ticks. Seven ixodid tick species were collected, of which Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum followed by Amblyomma hebraeum and Rhipicephalus oculatus were the most numerous. Amblyomma hebraeum was mainly a parasite of the two goat breeds, with the Angora goats harbouring greater numbers than the Boer goats, while large numbers of R. glabroscutatum parasitized the goats and the antelopes. Rhipicephalus oculatus was nearly exclusively a parasite of scrub hares. The larvae of A. hebraeum were most numerous on goats from May to July, the nymphs from September to November and the adults from August to December and during February, while the immature stages of R. glabroscutatum were most numerous on these animals from April to July and the adults from August to December. Peak activity periods of the latter tick were somewhat longer on kudus than on goats; the immature stages were most numerous from January to August and the adults from July to February. The larvae of R. oculatus were most numerous on scrub hares from March to May, nymphs from September to November and adults from October to December.

Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XXXIX. Helminth and arthropod parasites of Angora goats in the southern Karoo.

Parasites were collected from 160 Angora goats and kids on the Jansenville Experimental Farm, Eastern Cape Province. Six nematodes were identified to species level and three to generic level. Nematodirus spathiger was the most numerous of the economically important nematodes recovered. It was always present, and fourth stage larvae were collected from untreated goats from August to March, while animals used as tracers also picked up most infection from August to March. Kids born on the farm during October acquired their first nematode infections between 2 and 3 months of age and the intensity of infection increased erratically thereafter to reach a plateau once the kids were 14 months of age. Eight of the nine kids between 3 and 5 months of age and examined between January and March were infected with Moniezia expansa. Five ixodid tick species were collected from the goats of which Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum was the most numerous and prevalent. Its immature stages were present mainly from March to September and adults from July to January. The goats also harboured the biting louse Damalinia limbata and the sucking louse Linognathus africanus. The greatest intensity of infestation with L. africanus occurred on the kids during the first few months of their lives. The larvae of the nasal bot fly, Oestrus ovis were present in kids at 1 month of age, and infestation took place mainly from spring to late summer.

Helminth parasites of grysbok, common duikers and Angora and Boer goats in the Valley Bushveld in the eastern Cape Province.

Helminth parasites were collected from 13 grysbok, Raphicerus melanotis, 12 common duikers, Sylvicapra grimmia, 24 Angora goats and 24 Boer goats killed on a farm in Valley Bushveld in the eastern Cape Province. Nematodes belonging to 9 species and a further 2 genera and cestodes belonging to 1 species and a further genus were recovered from the grysbok. Of these, worms of the genus Skrjabinema, Trichostrongylus rugatus, Trichostrongylus pietersei and Nematodirus spathiger were the most prevalent and the most numerous. An amended list of the helminths of grysbok is included. Seven nematodes, identified to species and 1 identified to genus were recovered from the common duikers. N. spathiger and Setaria scalprum were the most prevalent, while N. spathiger and Trichostrongylus axei were the most abundant. The Angora goats were infested with at least 10 nematode species and 2 cestodes and the Boer goats with at least 14 nematode species. With the exception of Trichostrongylus pietersei, the Boer goats harboured more nematodes of each species than did the Angora goats. Nematodirus spp. and worms of the genus Skrjabinema were most numerous in Angora goats, and Nematodirus spp. and Teladorsagia circumcincta in the Boer goats. No clear pattern of seasonal abundance was evident for any of the helmith species in the various hosts.

Foot abscess in goats in relation to the seasonal abundance of adult Amblyomma hebraeum and adult Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum (Acari: Ixodidae).

The seasonal prevalence of foot abscess affecting Angora and Boer goats in Valley Bushveld in the eastern Cape Province of South Africa was significantly related to the seasonal abundance of adult Amblyomma hebraeum and adult Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum. Angora goats harboured more ticks than Boer goats and also had a greater number of abscessed feet. Larger numbers of ticks and abscesses were recorded on hind feet than on fore feet. There was no significant correlation between rainfall and the occurrence of foot abscess. The seasonal abundance of adult A. hebraeum and adult R. glabroscutatum on several ruminant species at various localities in the Cape Province is described.

Some avian and mammalian hosts of Amblyomma hebraeum and Amblyomma marmoreum (Acari: Ixodidae).

Large numbers of birds, wild mammals and domestic stock from a variety of localities within the Republic of South Africa were examined for infestation with the ixodid ticks Amblyomma hebraeum and Amblyomma marmoreum. Every warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), Burchell's zebra (Equus burchelli), impala (Aepyceros melampus) and kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) from the Kruger National Park in the north-eastern Transvaal Lowveld was infested with A. hebraeum. In the eastern Cape Province every helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), scrub hare (Lepus saxatilis) and kudu from the Andries Vosloo Kudu Reserve; all but 1 of the 22 domestic cattle examined on the farm "Bucklands"; and all Angora goats plus nearly all Boer goats examined on the farm "Brakhill" were infested with this tick. Most animals examined appeared to be good hosts of the immature stages, and the larger the host species the greater the chances of it harbouring large numbers of adult ticks. The largest animals examined, such as eland, buffalo, giraffe and rhinoceros, harboured very large numbers of adult A. hebraeum. No adult A. marmoreum was recovered from any host. However, 50% or more of helmeted guinea fowl and kudu from the Andries Vosloo Kudu Reserve; helmeted guinea fowl, scrub hares and eland (Taurotragus oryx) from the Mountain Zebra National Park; helmeted guinea fowl, kudu, domestic sheep, goats and cattle on the farm "Bucklands", and caracal (Felis caracal) from the Cradock and Southwell areas of the eastern Cape Province were infested with immature A. marmoreum. In the Bontebok National Park in the south-western Cape Province more than 35% of scrub hares, vaal ribbok (Pelea capreolus) and bontebok (Damaliscus dorcas dorcas) were infested with immature ticks.

A comparison of live and destructive sampling methods of determining the size of a parasitic tick populations.

The accuracy of a general and a specific method of collecting and counting ixodid ticks on live hosts was compared with that of a destructive technique which can only be applied to dead animals. Destructive sampling provided considerably more accurate results than either of the live sampling methods when applied to domestic goats (Capra hircus) and a duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia). The smaller the life stage and the tick species the less likely it is that it will be recovered by either of the live sampling techniques. Both live and destructive sampling yielded similar results for adult Amblyomma hebraeum, a large tick. A sub-sampling method, used to estimate larval numbers, was repeatable and an accurate predictor of population size for populations ranging from 50 to 1000 of unengorged A. hebraeum larvae.

The scrub hare, a reliable indicator of the presence of Hyalomma ticks in the Cape Province.

The host preferences of immature and adult Hyalomma marginatum rufipes, Hyalomma marginatum turanicum and Hyalomma truncatum were studied at various localities in the Cape Province. The immature stages of all 3 ticks preferred scrub hares (Lepus saxatilis) as hosts and were recovered from these animals even when few adult ticks were present on large herbivores in the locality. Ground-frequenting birds were also infested, but only with immature H. marginatum rufipes and H. marginatum turanicum. Some small rodents were also infested but only with the immature stages of H. truncatum. The adult ticks preferred Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra), eland (Taurotragus oryx) and cattle. The immature stages of H. marginatum rufipes were most abundant on scrub hares from February to August. Too few adult ticks of this species were recovered to determine their seasonal abundance. The immature stages of H. marginatum turanicum were most abundant on scrub hares during the winter months and the adults were most abundant on scrub hares during the winter months and the adults were most abundant on Cape mountain zebra and eland during summer. Immature H. truncatum were most abundant on scrub hares during February and May, while peak adult burdens were found on zebra and eland during February, August, November and December.

The distribution and hosts of Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum.

Three domestic and 12 wild species of ungulate have been recorded as hosts of Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum. The major site of attachment for larvae, nymphs and adults is around the hooves and on the lower legs. This tick is virtually confined to the eastern Cape Province, Republic of South Africa. Classed as an obligative xerophile it inhabits non-coastal areas of low rainfall characterized by Karoo and Karoid vegetation.