I02 



SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



CLASSIFICATION OF BRITISH TICKS. 



By Edward G. Wheler. 



(Condnded from page 74.) 



{cP) RHIPICEPRALUS Koch, 1844. 



Synonyms : Acan/s Linn., 1758 ; Ixodes Latreille, 

 1795; P/uiuloixodes Beiiese. 1889; Boophihcs 

 Curtice, 1890. 



Eyes distinct. Base of rostrum wider than long, 

 hexagonal on the dorsal side, forming a prominent 

 angle at each side. Palpi short, wide (fig. 18). 

 Coxae of the first pair of legs with two spines. 

 usually strong. Peritremes of female in form of a 

 short comma, generally long in the male. The 

 male has one or two pairs of ventral 

 shields ; one pair placed on each 

 side of the anus, triangular, some- 

 times rectangular, large ; a second 

 pair, if present, smaller and placed 

 outside. 



M. Neumaun describes twenty- 

 three species of this genus, most of 

 which are African. It is to certain 

 species of the genus that is to be 

 attributed the immense damage to 

 cattle already referred to, which is 

 caused by carrying the microbes of 

 the disease known as " tick fever," 

 " Texas fever," etc., from diseased to 

 healthy animals. 



In the Cape Colony R. decoloratus, 

 called the "blue tick," and R. evertd, 

 called the " red tick," are best 

 known as such; ia the Southern States of North 

 America a closely allied species, R. annulatus, is 

 the chief cause of the disease, which in Australia 

 is represented by a slightly different form named 

 R. australis by Mr. Fuller. No British species is 

 known, but one, R. sanguineus, is so widely dis- 

 tributed that there is every' possibility of its 

 occurring in England. It is found not only in 

 France and the south of Europe, but in Asia, 

 Africa, America, and Australia. 



(t?') DERMA CUNTOR Koch, 1844. 



Synonyms: Ixodes Latreille, 1795; Psendixodes 

 Haller, 1882. 



Eyes present. Base of rostrum wider than long, 

 rectangular on the dorsal face. Palpi short and 

 thick. Peritremes shaped like a short comma. 

 The ventral side of the male has, like the female, 

 no shields. Haunches of the first pair of legs 

 bidented in both sexes ; those of the fourth in the 

 male greatly enlarged (fig. 20). Dorsal shield 

 generally ornamented with various designs. 



Seventeen species of this genus are described. 

 One only is British. 



Dermacentor reiiculatus Fabricius. 



Synonyms: Acarus reticulatus Fabricius, 1794; 

 Ixodes reticulatus Latreille, 1804 ; I. marmoratus 

 Risso, 1826 ; Dermaceritor reticulatus Koch, 

 1844-47 ; D. alMcolUs Koch, 1844-47 ; B. parda- 

 Imus Koch, 1844-47 ; B. ferrugineus Koch, 1844-47 ; 

 Ixodes liolsatus Kolenati, 1857 ; Pseudixodes liol- 

 satus Haller, 1882 ; IIaema])lnjsalis marmorata 

 Berlese, 1887. 



Female (fig. 24). When fasting, 3-86 mm. long 



Female. 

 Fig. 24. Dermacentor reticulatus. 



by 2 mm. wide. Body depressed, larger behind. 

 Colour reddish-brown. Shield very large, extending 

 to the level of the third pair of legs, punctuated 

 with a few large and many small punctuations. 

 Colour milky-white, variegated with reddish- 

 brown. Sexual orifice is opposite the coxae of 



Fig. 25. D. reticulatus. Palpi. 



the second pair of legs. Sexual grooves near 

 together in front, rapidly diverging behind the 

 haunches of the fourth pair, and terminating 

 between the second and third festoons on the 

 posterior margin of the body. Peritreme comma- 



