Infrequent hosts of adults are monitor lizards ( Varanus spp.) 

 (Robinson 1926, Tendeiro 1951D, and Sudan record above J, Agama 

 lizard (Loveridge 1929, Bequaert 1930^), python (Bedford 1932B), 

 hedgehog (Robinson 1926), man (Schwetz 192X), and one specimen 

 from a domestic goat (Theiler, unpublished). 



Nymphs and Larvae 



Immature stages infest tortoises and also Varanus lizards, 

 birds, sind hares. Guineapigs may be used for laboratory rearing. 

 Owing to the paucity of field records for immature stages it is 

 impossible to determine their host preference in nature. It is 

 unusual to find a tick that normally feeds on warm blooded animals 

 in the immature stages and on cold blooded animals in the adiilt 

 stages; the reverse is usually true. Yet Theiler (correspondence) 

 has nymphs from South African hares and from a tiirkey on a farm 

 vhere the mountain tortoise is also common. Further field study 

 of this matter is indicated but, as A. nut t alii appears to be 

 curiously localized and seldom abuncJant, the success of such 

 investigation will depend on local factors. Note that in Equa- 

 toria Province, single nymphs were found on each of two species 

 of Varanus lizards, on an oribi (antelope), and on a francolin 

 partridge, but none were taken from the many tortoises examined. 



Various literature records for '"iguana"' lizard, a non-African 

 reptile, shotild be **leguan"' or monitor lizard (Varanus spp.). 



Alexander (1931 ) was unable to induce adults to feed on 

 laboratory animals. 



See also BIOLOGY below. 



BIOLOGY 



Santos Dias (1950A) reared this species using guineapigs and 

 tortoises as hosts. He subsequently reported (1955B) that the 

 life cycle is a three-host type. A maximum of 22,891 eggs from 

 a single female were noted with the claim that this is the great- 

 est nvimber of eggs yet observed in any of the Ixodoidea. The 

 minimum period for completion of the life cycle is estimated at 

 13^ to 151 days, the maximum period 217 to 296 days. This paper 



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