Distribution of ticks (Acari: Ixodida) infesting domestic ruminants in Ghana

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Abstract
Nineteen sites throughout Ghana were selected as representative of the three major zones of natural vegetation. At these sites, samples of ticks were collected from groups of approximately five each of cattle, sheep and goats. Ticks were identified by light microscopy. In order of abundance, tick species found on livestock were: Amblyomma variegatum (Fabricius), Boophilus decoloratus (Koch), Rhipicephalus senegalensis Koch, Boophilus annulatus (Say), Hyalomma marginatum rufipesKoch, a Rhipicephalus species in the sanguineus group of uncertain identity close to both R. turanicus Pomerantsev and R. sulcatus Neumann, Boophilus geigyi Aeschlimann & Morel, Hyalomma truncatum Koch, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi Neumann and Rhipicephalus lunulatus Neumann. Amblyomma variegatum was found on every sample of the sheep, goats and cattle examined and was equally abundant in all vegetation zones. Boophilus species were found mainly on cattle, with some on sheep and were widely distributed by vegetation zone. Hyalomma species were found predominantly on cattle and widely distributed by vegetation zone. Rhipicephalus e. evertsi and R. senegalensis were found on sheep and cattle in all vegetation zones. The tick fauna of Ghana is similar to those of other West African countries and this shows that control strategies developed in neighbouring countries can be applied to Ghana. The significance of this tick fauna is discussed in relation to potential for pathogen transmission.