122 



Annals of the Tkansvaal Museum. 



Tins tick has been found to be concerned to some extent in the 

 transmission of East Coast fever ; it also transmits biliary fever of the 

 horse^ mnle, and donkey. It is able to withstand very dry and desert 

 conditions, and is found even in the Karroo. Unlike most other ticks, 

 it passes its first molt on the host, and the second off the host ; that is, it 

 visits two hosts during its life-cycle instead of three. 



EHIPICEPHALL S OCULATUS. NEUMANN. 



, . The Eyed Tick. 



Rhlpiceplialus oculatus, Xeunumn (1901). 

 Flati^ VI 11, figure /> ; Plate IX, figure b ; Flate X, figure c. 



Male. — Jiody narrow, regularly widened trom iront to rear ; 3 mm. 

 long (rostrum iucluded). IS/iield { Vlll, b) reddish brown in colour ; covers 

 all 01 the dorsal surface ; cervical grooves long, very divergent ; lateral 

 grooves deep, commeucmg at a little distance from the eyes, stopping at the 

 outer festoon ; a median posterior groove ; festoons short ; punctuations 

 numerous, fine, sul)-e(|ual, distinct and not coalescing ; eyes small, hemi- 

 spherical, shiuy, in an orhit. Ventral surface brownish in colour ; anal 

 plates eJonaate (7A, b) triangular, inner edge longer than outer edge; 

 secondary plates weak, spinniform ; no caudal prolongation ; stigmatic 

 jjiates eliipiical, dark coloured, very long caudal prolongation, extending in 

 a postero-dorsal direction ; sexual opening opposite coxae 11. Rostrum 

 with base wider than long ; lateral angles near the anterior third of the 

 length ; the posterior angles prominent ; a line of punctuations parallel 

 to the posterior margin ; mandibles with process of inner apophysis trans- 

 verse, bidentate on outer edge, outer apophysis with two teeth, terminal 

 one weak, ])asilar tooth strong ; hypostome with six rows of teeth ; palpi 

 short and stout, article I and II prolonged backward on their ventral 

 surfaces, all three articles having a fringe of hairs on their medio-ventral 

 edges. Leeis slender ; coxae I bidentate ; coxae II, III, and IV, each 

 with two teeth on their ])osterior margins ; tarsi II, III, and lY terminate 

 by two consecutive spurs. 



Female. — Body of variable length. Shield elongate, oval (X, c) ; longer 

 than wide ; dark brown in colour ; cervical grooves extending to the posterior 

 third of the length ; lateral grooves well developed, reaching the posterior 

 margin ; punctuations mostly small, sub-equal, occasionally coalescing, 

 a very few larger ones in the mediau and lateral areas ; eyes 

 small, shiny, hemis])lierical, in orbits, behind the middle of the length of 

 the shield. Dorsal su)-face of body with four anterior grooves and three 

 posterior grooves. Ventral surface : stigmatic plates oval, with a jiosterior 

 dorsal projection ; anus near posterior third ; sexual opening opposite 

 first intercoxal space ; festoons indistinct ; Bostnun like that of male ; 

 outer apophysis of nianclibles with three teeth. Legs slender as in male. 



TTosts. — Cattle, Lepus sp. (Damaraland). 



IFibital. — Damaraland, Transvaal, German East Africa. 



