In various editions of Brumpt's "Precis,* 0. moubata is coiu 

 sidered as an outdoor as well as an indoor species. There is, 

 however, no published evidence to support the supposition that 

 this species nonnally lives away from human structures, except 

 in large animal burrows and in pigsties. Rare exceptions, such 

 as ticks remaining in the area after a building is destroyed, 

 or dropping from a bedding roll during transit, must be expected. 

 Further search may, of course, show that the tampan has a broader 

 range of habitats than present evidence indicates, 



"Wild" Habitats 



A gradually increasing body of information indicates the not 

 uncommon occiirrence of 0. moubata in large animal burrows through- 

 out tropical and southern Africa (see HOSTS above). The relation- 

 ship of these populations to those of human habitations awaits 

 determination. The environment of infested burrows has been only 

 briefly described and it is not known whether wild pop\ilations 

 have the same temperature and humidity requirements as domestic 

 populations. 



In Tanganyika burrows, Weil ton (1953) observed tampans clinging 

 to the roof close to the entrance as though waiting for some animal 

 to squeeze past. Ticks were found among the hair of the back of 

 warthogs shot in the early morning. In the bvirrows, temperature was 

 75°F. and relative humidity of the soil 1%, Other infested Tanga- 

 nyika burrows examined by Geigy and Mooser (1955) with thermohygro- 

 meters showed that the microclimate of these holes corresponded 

 closely to that observed by them in infested native huts (details 

 not stated). 



Discovery of numerous specimens in large burrows in several 

 widely scattered parts of Kenya has led Heisch and Grainger (1950) 

 to speculate on the relationships between wild and domestic popu- 

 lations of eyeless tampans. The ticks were obviously breeding in 

 these burrows that originally had been dxog by antbears and later 

 were inhabited by porcupines or warthogs. Other specimens were 

 found in large burrows on a long-isolated Lake Naivasha island 

 seldom visited by man, Heisch and Grainger conjecture that large 

 burrows were the original or primitive home of the eyeless tampan 

 and that it later became adapted to hioman habitations. The several 

 reports of 0, moubata from burrow-inhabiting warthogs, porcupines, 



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