Reinstatement of Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) dentipalpis Warburton & Nuttall, 1909 (Acari: Ixodidae) as a valid species and redescription of adults of H. (R.) asiatica (Supino, 1897), parasites of carnivorans in Oriental Asia

Abstract

Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) dentipalpis Warburton & Nuttall, 1909 (Acari: Ixodidae) is reinstated here as a valid species and the male is redescribed whereas the female is described for the first time. The adults of H. dentipalpis that we studied were collected from various felid and viverrid carnivorans (Carnivora: Felidae, Viverridae) in Indonesia and Malaysia. For comparative purposes, the male and female of H. (R.) asiatica (Supino, 1897) are redescribed. The adults of H. asiatica that we studied were from various felid and viverrid carnivorans (Carnivora: Felidae, Viverridae) as well as a treeshrew (Scandentia: Tupaiidae) in Thailand and Vietnam. The males and females of both H. dentipalpis and H. asiatica can be differentiated by the pattern of punctations on the conscutum and scutum and the shape and size of the posterodorsal and posteroventral spurs on palpal segment II.