Observations on Egyptian Hyalomma Ticks (Ixodoidea, Ixodidae). 5. Biological Notes and Differences in Identity of H. Anatolicum and Its Subspecies Anatolicum Koch and Excavatum Koch among Russian and Other Workers. Identity of H. Lusitanicum Koch1

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Abstract
Exhaustive study of very considerable material confirms the opinions of the Pomerantzev school that (1) Hyalomma anatolicum Koch and H. excavatum Koch are taxonomically valid subspecies (of anatolicum ), (2) the subspecies anatolicum is that which non-Soviet workers have been referring to as H. excavatum, sensu Delpy, and (3) the subspecies excavatum is that which non-Soviet workers have been calling anatolicum, sensu Delpy. The immature stages of the subspecies excavatum, which differ morphologically from those of anatolicum, feed on rodents, rabbits and hares, whereas those of anatolicum generally feed on larger domestic animals. The former subspecies breeds actively during the winter months (in North Africa, at least), while the latter usually undergoes a winter dispause. These forms, which rank high among the world's economically most important ticks, range from southern Europe and northern Africa through the Near and Middle East to the Indian sub-continent. Narrowly elongate samples from populations at the eastern end of this range suggest the presence of yet another subspecies in this area (rearing experiments to determine their status presently underway will require a year or more for completion). H. a. anatolicum is usually more numerous than H. a. excavatum and is more uniformly distributed, while excavatum is absent in certain ecological zones where anatolicum is present. Intergradation is nil in most areas, but ranges from 2 to less than 20 percent among certain Mediterranean littoral populations of Egypt and Libya. Movements of domestic animals appear in some areas to break down partially the ecological isolation of the two forms. The subgenus Hyalommina Schulze, 1919, and the species H. rhipicephaloides Neumann, 1901, are regarded as synonyms of Hyalomma and of H. anatolicum, respectively; subgenus Delpyiella Santos Dias, 1956, erected for the Indian H. hussaini Sharif, is found to be valid. Hyalomma lusitanicum Koch, 1844, synonymized with H. anatolicum by many workers, is found to be a valid species occurring in southwestern Europe, the Canary Islands, and Morocco. Morphological and biological characters of the recently recognized H. franchinii Tonelli-Rondelli, 1932, are compared with those of the anatolicum complex, for which keys to males and females are provided.

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