ARGAS (ARGAS) REFIBCUS (Fabricius, 179^). 

 (Figures 17,18,29 and 30) 

 THE PIGEON ARGAS 



L N 5 cf EQUATORIA PROVINCE RECCRDS 



2 11 Juba domestic pigeon cote Nov 



1 Juba domestic pigeon cote Jan 



These specimens were collected in 19^9 and 1950 but subsequent- 

 ly we have been unable to find the pigeon argas in Juba or elsewhere 

 in the Sudan, These few may have been remnants of stragglers or of 

 a small number of introduced individuals. If it is a normal inhab- 

 itant of the Stidan, the pigeon argas is sporadic and rare here. No 

 other specimens are known from the Ethiopian Faunal Region, except 

 those reported by Rousselot (1951,1953B) from French West Africa 

 6md one, possibly this species, from Kenya (Heisch 195AB), 



DISTRIBUTION 



Argas reflexus appears to be a Near or Middle Eastern tick 

 that has spread northward through Europe and Southwestern Russia 

 and eastward to India and elsewhere in Asia (the status of related 

 species or subspecies in Asia requires further study). It may have 

 been accidentally introduced into a few localities in the Ethiopian 

 Faunal Region north of the Equator and to parts of the Americas, 

 IT so, transportation of infested domestic pigeons undoubtedly has 

 been responsible for this range. 



NCBTH AFRICA ; EGYPT (El Dardiry 1935. Hoogstraal 1952A, 

 Taylor, Work, Hurlbut, and Rizk 1956), ALGERIA (Nuttall et al 

 1908, Neumann 1911. Presence not subsequently verified JT" 

 /"Unknown in Tunisia (Colas-Belcour 1929B)_J7 



WEST AFRICA ; FREICH WEST AFRICA (Rousselot 1951,1953B from 

 Bamako, Soudan J. 



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