Canine Hosts 



What may be a considerably varying incidence of R. s. sangttineus 

 on dogs throughout tropical and south Africa is difficult to relate 

 to any climatic or ecological factor in the absence of detailed sur- 

 veys. Many published remarks on this subject appear to have been 

 too hasty, since observations were not made over any extended period 

 of time. 



Lewis (1934) stated: "Although some Masai huts (in Kenya) 

 sheltered many dogs, no R. sanguineus were found after diligent 



search" eind (1939A7 ...... "The tick has been observed to 



infest dogs heavily in townships and on farms; but the writer has 

 never found (it) in native huts where dogs rest and sleep more or 

 less with the family". This last statement is certainly contrary 

 to our experience in Kenya and everywhere else. 



On several recent trips to the southern Sudan we have checked 

 native "pied dogs" and foimd them to be not only infested but fre- 

 quently literally covered with R. s. sangiiineus . Dogs kept by 

 Europeans, when they were still irTthe Sudan, were usually so 

 frequently deticked or doused with insecticide that a true picture 

 of their infestation in relation to that of village dogs was im- 

 possible to obtain. 



In the Kilimani area near Nairobi, dogs are infested with 

 many specimens of H. leachii but few of R. s. sanguineus , while 

 in lowland ^bmbasa'"R. s. sanguineus is by f"ar the predominent 

 species (Kauntze 19*5^)7 A nunher of generalized remarks con_ 

 cernj.ng the incidence of ticks on dogs are provided under R. s. 

 simus (page 738). "" " 



Feline Hosts 



Domestic cats appear to be infrequent hosts of this tick. 

 The large wild felines of Africa are sometimes attacked but then 

 usually only by a few ticks. 



Exceptional Hosts 



Rare or unusual hosts that have been reported in Africa are: 

 puff adder in Tanganyika (Loveridge 1928), bats (HH, collecting 



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