THE ACAKIXA OR MITES. 



65 



Fig. 122. — AmUyomma america- 

 num.- Partly engorged female. 

 (Original.) 



0. turicata Diiges (fig. 105) is found in the southern parts of the United States from 

 Florida to California, and down into Mexico and Central America. It attacks cattle, 

 hogs, and man, as well as various small animals. The popular name, "turicata," is 

 given it by the Mexicans; but from its occurrence in the 

 native houses it is sometimes called the "adobe tick. " 



The "moubata bug" {Omiihodoros mouhata Murray) is 

 a tropical African species which transmits to man a blood 

 parasite, Spirochacta duttoni, that produces a dangerous 

 fever known as African relapsing fever or "tick fever." 

 The symptoms are severe headache, vomiting, and ab- 

 dominal pains; there are often five or six relapses, which 

 leave the victim A'ery weak, but the disease is not com- 

 monly fatal. The bites of the tick, like others of this 

 genus, are painful, and produce hard raised wheals. If the 

 tick is infected, the fever will begin within 5 or 10 days. 

 The ticks are sometimes not as common in the native 

 huts as elsewhere, and there is some evidence that the 

 natives become immune to their bites. Aged natives are 

 sometimes found upon which the bite will leave scarcely a mark. "Wellman states 

 that the bite of the nymphal tick is often more severe than that of the adult. They 

 commonly bite at night, but sometimes in the day. This tick was called "tampan" 

 by Livingstone, who was the first to write about it, and who had experienced its bite. 

 It has many local names, such as "bibo," and "papaze," besides "moubata." In this 

 and the closely allied 0. savignyi Audouin, the larva upon hatching is very weak and 



does not feed, but soon becomes quiescent and trans- 

 forms to the nymph. In 2 or 3 days these are ready 

 to feed, and thereafter increase rapidly in size. The 

 nymph molts several times, and Donitz claims that 

 the female tick may molt after oviposition. 0. (Alecto- 

 robius) talaje Guerin occurs in the southern parts of the 

 United States, Mexico, and Central America. It is 

 usually found in old houses, where it attacks people 

 at night, its bite being extremely painful. This species 

 has no humps on any tarsi. Another species, 0. (A.) 

 capensis Neum., occurs in South Africa, where it chiefly 

 attacks penguins on the islands near the coast. Other 

 species of Ornithodoros occur in Africa and Asia, all 

 of which are feared for the painfulness of their bites. 

 One species, 0. marginatus Banks, occurs in bat caves 

 in the West Indies. It differs from all other forms in 

 the series of elevated processes around the margin of 

 the body. 

 Otobius TTiegnini Duges (fig. 104) (formerly Ornithodoros) is one of the most remark- 

 able species of the family. It is of a brown or blackish color, and the nymphal stage, 

 which is quite unlike the adult and figured by Marx as Rhynchoprion spinosum Marx, 

 is clothed with many stout spines. It occurs in the ears of horses, cattle, sheep, and 

 sometimes man, and is called the "spinose ear tick." It has been known to cause 

 death in cattle. It can be removed by the application of some bland oil, as linseed 

 or olive oil. It is a Mexican species, but occurs in our country- as far north as Nebraska. 

 The adult is known to the Mexicans as the "garrapata," and the young are called 

 "pinolias." The nymph sucks enough blood, so that the adult tick does not have to 

 feed, and probably rarely if ever takes nourishment. Its mouth parts are weaker and 

 less armed than in other argasids. The nymph, when full fed, climbs up trees or build- 



FiG. 123.— Shield of Amblyomma 

 cajennense, female. (Original.) 



