HOSTS 



Adtilt hosts of predilection are carnivores, pigs, buffalo, and 

 other large or medium size game Euiimals. Antelopes are usually 

 second-choice hosts. Among domestic animals, dogs and pigs fre- 

 quently are preferred. The incidence on cattle varies locally 

 and may be either very high or very low even where the glossy 

 tick is common. People are frequently attacked, especiallv in 

 the vicinity of their dwellings. Although Matthysse (1954.) con- 

 siders advilts to be parasites of medium size mammals, overall 

 data indicate that host size is only one factor, the type of host 

 being an equally important consideration. Larvae and nymphs feed 

 chiefly on burrowing rodents, less commonly on other small animals. 



Adults 



Cattle : Factors influencing parasitism of domestic cattle 

 by R. s. simus are still unknown. Although this tick is common 

 througlaout Equatoria Province, its incidence on cattle is nil or 

 low everywhere except in Juba District where the rate may run 

 fairly high. In Central Sudan, the nxombers on cattle are variable 

 but never high. 



R. s. simus is one of the five species of this genus that 

 occurs wTth any degree of frequency on Uganda cattle but in most 

 districts the rate of infestation is low (Wilson 1950C). 



In South Africa, the glossy tick "does not appear to thrive 

 well on cattle" (Lounsbury 1904B). Theiler (correspondence), 

 however, reports that in cattle raising areas of South Africa 

 these animads are the favorite host of the glossy tick. 



Wilson (I95OB) considered this to be an uncommon Nyasaland 

 tick because he took it on only IL, occasions dviring an extensive 

 three year tick svirvev. Ten of these collections were from cattle. 

 Earlier, Wilson (194-6) doubted that females ever become fully 

 engorged on cattle. Theiler (correspondence) has found that the 

 glossy tick is more common in Nyasaland than Wilson believed. 

 Rarity of cattle infestation here probably accounts for this 

 discrepancy inasmuch as relatively few wild animals were examined. 

 Matthysse (1954-) considers this to be a rather important Northern 

 Rhodesian cattle parasite, but does not provide a clear cut anal- 

 ysis of the situation there. 



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