Description of a new tick species, Ixodes collaris n. sp. (Acari: Ixodidae), from bats (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae, Rhinolophidae) in Vietnam.
In a recent study on ixodid bat ticks from Eurasia, a high genetic difference was found between Ixodes vespertilionis from Europe and Vietnam. Accordingly, it was proposed that I. vespertilionis is a species complex, with at least one additional, hitherto undescribed species. The aim of the present study was to investigate the morphology of bat ticks from Vietnam and to assess their taxonomic status in comparison with those collected in Europe.



Ixodid bat ticks (two females and two nymphs) collected from the pomona leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros pomona) (Hipposideridae) and intermediate horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus affinis) (Rhinolophidae) in Vietnam showed major morphological differences from European isolates of I. vespertilionis, including the shape of the scutum, the enclosure and shape of porose areas, the presence of a caudo-lateral collar-like ridge ventrally on the basis capituli, polytrich coxae with short setae, and grouped (non-linear) arrangement of anterior pit sensillae in Haller's organ.



In this study the female and the nymph of an ixodid bat tick species from Vietnam are described for the first time. The genetic and morphological differences between I. vespertilionis Koch, 1844 and these bat ticks from Vietnam justify the status of the latter as a distinct species, Ixodes collaris Hornok n. sp.
Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary. hornok.sandor@aotk.szie.hu.
Sándor
S
Hornok
Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary.
Tamás
T
Görföl
Department of Zoology, Eszterházy Károly College, Eger, Hungary.
Péter
P
Estók
Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Vuong Tan
VT
Tu
Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.
Jenő
J
Kontschán
D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification*; D009758:Nymph / Q000145:classification; D013045:Species Specificity; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology
Bat tick; Ixodes collaris Hornok n. sp; Ixodes vespertilionis; New species; Rhinolophus affinis; Vietnam