title: Description of the male, redescription of the female and 16S rDNA sequence of Ixodes aulacodi (Ixodidae).
abstract: Ixodes (Afrixodes) aulacodiArthur, 1956 is a poorly known species that has been recorded predominantly in the wet countries of western and central Africa, mainly associated to the greater cane rat Thryonomys swinderianus (Temmink). We herein redescribe the female, describe the male (ascribed to the species from specimens found in copula) and provide the 16S rDNA sequence. We also provide complete illustrations of the adults based on specimens found on greater cane rats in Ivory Coast. Ixodes aulacodi is included in the group of species of the subgenus Afrixodes that have horseshoe shaped anal groove, and which lack auriculae and cornua. The female is easily separated when compared with other species because of a unique combination of characters: All the coxae have internal spurs, coxa II has two external spurs, syncoxae are absent, and trochanters I-III have one spur each. The male has a notched hypostome and lacks syncoxae, auriculae and cornua.
authors.affiliation: Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuerbergstrasse 11, 80937 Munchen, Germany.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiţimia-Dobler
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăştur, Department, Cluj-Napoca 400372, Romania.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.affiliation: Unité de Formation et de Recherche Biosciences, Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, 22 BP 770, Abidjan 22, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Patrick Kouassi
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăştur, Department, Cluj-Napoca 400372, Romania.
authors.forename: Zsuzsa
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kalmár
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăştur, Department, Cluj-Napoca 400372, Romania.
authors.forename: Călin Mircea
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gherman
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăştur, Department, Cluj-Napoca 400372, Romania.
authors.forename: Andrei Daniel
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Mihalca
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: aestrada@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Agustin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Estrada-Peña
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire; D005260:Female; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D007814:Larva / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: 16S rDNA; Adults; Description; Ixodes aulacodi