cies. Thus, recognition of the subgenus Hyalommina would be justi 

 fied. It is, however, likely that the absence of subanal shields 

 is not a genetic character in Hyalomma populations of Africa and 

 the Near East. 



Conclusions on the subgenus Hyalommina may be summarized as 

 follows: Such an entity apparently does exist, but criteria 

 .proposed for it apply to a species (H. hussaini and possibly 

 H. kumari ) different from that originally proposed as the type 

 Tor this subgenus (H. rhipicephaloides ) , this latter species 

 being merely a morpHological variant of H. excavatum . 



These conclusions are based on study of series of preserved 

 specimens, on field rearing of specimens, and on laboratory obu 

 servations of wild_caught subdermal specimens from rodents. 

 More formal laboratory studies on the phenomenon of loss of 

 subanal shields among other species are indicated. 



Sharif (1928) also described H. hussaini brevipunctata and 

 H. kumari from Indian populations on the basis of slight dif_ 

 Terences in color, lateral grooves and tarsi. No specimens of 

 these forms have been available for the present study. 



Sharif (1928) lists specimens of H. hussaini from the fol- 

 lowing India areas: Bihar, Orissa, Central Provinces and Madras 

 and Bombay Presidencies. The subspecies brevipunctata is listed 

 from the same areas as well as from Bengal. H. kumari is also 

 known from the first localities and Assam and~"Punjab. Hosts 

 are cattle, buffalos, horses, goats, sheep, dogs, tiger, and 

 various kinds of deer. 



Sharif (1930) illustrated a specimen of H. hussaini with 

 unequal adanal shields. Material from Portugese India has been 

 reported (Santos Dias 1954J). 



Both sexes of H. hussaini have such unique morphological 

 characters that it is difficult to comprehend why Delpy (19^9B) 

 placed this species in synonymy under H. excavatim . Sharif's 

 (1928) original description is excellent as are the illustrations 

 of the male. This sex is characterized by large, broad adanal 

 shields, absence of subanal shields; bright, shiny scutum with 

 long, pronounced lateral grooves; long, narrow posteromedian 



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