Seasonal abundance of ticks (Acari/ Ixodidae) infesting cattle in four irrigated regions in Morocco

Abstract

A study has been conducted between April 2007 and March 2008 to identify tick species infesting cattle in four irrigated regions in Morocco and to determine their abundance and phenology. The influence of climate, type of farm, age, sex and origin of the animals on the tick infestation was analyzed. 5,777 ticks have been collected and ten species identified, Hyalomma scupense 1,544 (26.7%), Hyalomma marginatum 1,489 (25.8%), Hyalomma lusitanicum 199 (3.4%), Hyalomma excavatum 554 (6.1%), Hyalomma dromedarii 59 (1.0%), Hyalomma impeltatum 26 (0.5%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus 266 (4.6%), Rhipicephalus turanicus 232 (4.0%), Rhipicephalus bursa 391 (10.2%) and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus 1,017 (17.6%). The activity of most of the species was limited to spring and summer. According to the study, age and type of farm have a significant influence on the degree of infestation of cattle by ticks, whereas the origin and sex of the animals and climate had less influence.