From Theiler*s (l94l) study of South African data it appears 

 that the red shrew, C. flavescens, may be the true host and infes- 

 tation of other rodents and insectivores is incidental. These 

 hosts are the vlei or groove- toothed rat, Otomys irroratuis subsp.j 

 the four-sbriped grass mouse, Rhabdomys pumilio subsp. ; Brant's 

 gerbil, Tatera brantsi maecalinus; Lobengula^s gerbil, T. loben- 

 gulae subsp.; and the Eastern Province golden-mole, AmbTysomus 

 nottentotus subsp. Thirteen collections were made from red shrews 

 and twelve from other hosts. Collections from red shrews also 

 contained the most specimens. Arthur (ms.) records the same 

 hosts and adds Cryptomxis capensis . 



BIOLOGY 



Life Cycle 



"Probably a three host tick; adults, nymphs, and larvae 

 invariably have been collected separately except for two records 

 from Brant's gerbil when adults and nymphs were taken together" 

 (Theiler 1941). 



Ecology 



The fact that the few specimens known from the Sudan and 

 Tanganyika were taken in highland forests or alpine zones is 

 of some interest. In southern Africa this altitudinal distri- 

 bution is not so restricted. 



The red shrew frequents rtinways made by rodents in long 

 grass beside streams and rivers. In drier areas, this tick 

 is taken in the smaller and shorter runways of other rodents 

 associated with bunches of grass at the base of thorn bushes 

 and other shrubs. Red shrews also inhabit the underground 

 nesting burrows abandoned by rodents (Theiler 1941) • 



REMARKS 



Theiler (194-1) has made an extensive study of the morpho^ 

 logical features of this species to show its exceptionally prim- 

 itive characters. This report should be studied by anyone in- 

 terested in tick morphology or phylogeny. 



- 893 - 



