Sudanese Faimal Areas Based On 



Tick Distribution 



A somewhat arbitrary', preliminary mapping of Faunistic Areas 

 of tick distribution in the Sudan has been suggested (Figure 328, 

 and pages 85A and 855). This scheme conforms as closely as per- 

 missable with that of Lewis (1953), which reflects the importance 

 of critical and specialized factors of aquatic and semiaquatic 

 breeding places of Tabanids as well as availability of hosts. 

 Further study may reveal that additional divisions shoiild be 

 designated for ticks but the limits are not presently well under- 

 stood. Lewis* Watershed, Marra, Nuba, Boma-Gemi, (western) 

 Floodplain, Sudd, and Gezira Areas are not charted for ticks 

 since data are not yet sufficient to indicate the specialized 

 character of tick faiina in these regions. The more intensive 

 tick collections from southeastern Sudan, however, allow the 

 specification that Lewis' Torit-Loelli Area may be separated 

 into two distinct areas, the Torit Area and the Kapoeta Area. 

 Inasmuch as Lewis* western sector of the Floodplain Area is 

 abandoned for the present purposes, the eastern sector is re- 

 ferred to here as the Eastern Floodplain Area. 



WEST AFRICAN SUBREGION 



UBANGL-UEIiE SAVAI^NAH DISTRICT 

 RAGA-LOKA AREA 



The Raga-Loka Area, as here considered (Figure 328), is 

 wider than that originally proposed by Ghapin as the zone 

 typical of West African fa\ana in the Sudan (Figiire l). It is 

 a combination of Lewis' several southwestern Areas (Figure 

 327), the (Congo) Watershed, the Raga-Loka, the (western) Flood 

 plain, and the Sudd. Consisting of various types of forests 

 and savannahs with more numerous trees than found elsewhere in 

 the Sudan, this Area largely lacks the broad grassy plains char- 

 acter of so much of the Sudan. Indicator tick species are those 

 characteristic of the West African Subregion (page 852) though 

 they represent only a small part of the total tick fauna ende- 

 mic in West Africa. As already stated, indicator species ty- 

 pical of the West African Subregion are exceptional in the 

 Sudan outside of the Raga-Loka Area. 



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