114 



This tick is spolven of by Lounsbiiry in, 1905 as Rhipicephahis (B) sp.. 

 He says it occurs in Cape Colony in the higli inland districts^ most probably 

 because more horses are found there, and not on account of the climate. I 

 have had it sent in also from Basutoland. It is found principally 

 upon horses, and cattle are seldom infested, even when horses are very 

 scarce. Horses often become very badly covered with these ticks when 

 they run over the veld in the winter time. Very few are found during- 

 the summer months. From adults to hatching of larvae, in Capetowii, 

 took 186 to 201 days, and is probably longer on the veld. Lounsbury 

 says that development cannot be forced in an incubator. There is- 

 prol)ably only one generation in a year. 



Genus EHIPICEPHALUS. KOCH. 



Acanis (ex. p.), Linnaeus (1758). 

 Ixodes (ex. p.), Latreille (1795). 

 Rliipiceplialus, Koch (1844). 

 PliauUxodes Berlese (1889). 

 - Boophilus, Curtice (1890). 



Bhi'picephalus, Koch, (Xeumann, 1897). 



Eyes present. Base of rostrum wuder than long, hexagonal on the 

 dorsal surface, forming on each side a prominent lateral angle. Palpi short, , 

 wide, the third article prolonged on tlie ventral by a short retrograde 

 point ; the hrst article by a lobe on the inner side, sometimes not very 

 prominent, and slightly retrograde. Coxae I ordinarily with two strong 

 teeth. ^Stigmatic plates comma-shaped, with a short tail in the female, and 

 a long one in the male ; males provided usually with two pairs of ventral 

 plates, in the region of the anus and known as (1) anal plates, next to the 

 anus, and (2) accessory anal plates, smaller in size and situated laterally 

 of the anal plates. Males usually with a caudal prolongation on the 

 posterior margin of the body. 



This is one of the most important groups of ticks because of the role 

 which so many of its species play in the transmission of diseases. It is 

 especially an African genus, fully three-quarters of the species referred to it 

 being found in Africa. 



It presents the most difficulties to the student of the Ixodidae. Many of 

 the species seem almost impossible to separate, especially where one has 

 a large series of specimens with all stages of variations. The immature 

 stages are very similar, and even the most careful study may fail to dis- 

 tinguish the species to which they belong. 



The females are more difficult to distinguisli than the males. The 

 only characters which are easy to use are those of the shield and base of 

 rostrum. With the males the characters of the shield, base of rostrum,, 

 and anal plates are of most use. 



The males differ from the males of other genera by the fact that the- 

 l)ody is much more slender, and after feeding a few days it usually swells- 



