S. N.
SAPRE
55
It is assumed that the specimens, on which the
foregoing description is based, are identical with
the forms examined, and for which the name O.
crossi was proposed by Brumpt in 1921. I have
had occasion to examine several hundred speci-
mens of the species of ticks in question from
many localities in the Punjab and not one of these
conformed to the description and illustration of O.
papillipes Birula, as given by Pavlovsky [1930].
In the circumstances there would appear to be
good reasons for the assumption that the form of
Ornithodorus, dealt with here and which I consider
to be O. crossi Brumpt is conspecific with the
type of original O. crossi Brumpt.
Characters
Colour . . .
Size . . .
Hypostome . .
Palp . . .
Srtucture of cuticle .
Denticulate hairs .
Srutcture of tarsited
and 4
Size of the anal ring.
Size of the vulva
Basis capituli .
Three small setae on
eac hside situat-
ed near the base of
the basis capituli
O. tholozani (from Nuttall
and Warburton 1908 and
from Brumpt 1936)
Not described . . .
Male 4 to 6 mm. long .
Female 8 to 9 mm. long .
In male spatulate, a crown
of small teeth followed by
two rows of three teeth,
middle rows not far apart,
then three to four rows
of simple teeth.
In female lanceolate, with
two rows of three teeth
median rows far apart
Not described . . .
Coarsely shagrcened,one of
every five or ten bears a
long hair (Plate VIII, fig. 2)
Not described .
. . .
T. 4 with terminal dorsal
protuberance prominent,
pointed and directed dis-
tally, the terminal portion
on tapering. Short hairs
all articles, longest on
tarsi.
Wider than long 0.3 × 0.35
mm. with 7 or 8 long hairs
on each side
Not described . . .
Not described . . .
Not described . . .
Russian form of O. papil-
lipes (From Pavlovsky
1930)
Grey or greyish yellow .
4.2 × 2.5 mm. to 5.8 × 3.4
mm.
7.8 × 4.6 mm. to 8.2 × 4.6
mm.
Both in male as well as in
female about as long as
broad, spatulate with
parallel sides and two rows
of three teeth on each side
(Plate VII, figs, 1 and 2)
...
Short, thick and hearing
many hairs.
Corporis derma reticulo
rugosum (Plate VIII, fig. 1)
Anterior conical protrusion
of body bears a tuft of
denticulate hairs (Plate
VIII, fig. 3)
T. 1 with wavy dorsal con-
tour (Plate VIII, fig. 5).
T. 4 as shown in plate VIII
fig. 7, densely papillate
on ventral border.
0.026 × 0.023 to 0.031 ×
0.025 mm. each anal plate
bearing 9 to 10 hairs.
0.054 × 0.062 mm. . .
0.063 × 0.065 mm. . .
Present . . .
O. cholodkovsky (From
Pavlovsky 1930)
Not described . . .
Not described . . .
7.4 × 3.7 to 4.2 mm.
As in the Russian form of
O. papillipes (Plate VII,
fig. 3)
...
The articles of the palp
show different relative
lengths and fewer hairs
than in the Russian form
of O. papillipes
Not described . . .
Anterior conical protrusion
bears no such hairs
T. 1 less papillate (Plate
VIII fig. 4). T. 4 with
more pointed dorsal spur
(Plate VIII, fig. 6)
Not described .
0.8 mm. wide . . .
Not described . . .
Not described . . .
Indian form of O. papillipes
Slate colour when fed and
dirty yellow when freshly
moulted
4.5 × 2.5 mm. to 5.5 × 3.0
mm. (fed)
5.0 × 4.0 mm. to 9.0 × 5.0
mm. (fed)
Male longer than broad, spa-
tulate with parallel sides.
A crown of small teeth
followed by two rows, bor-
der row of three teeth
while the median row of
two followed by four to five
rows of simple teeth (Plate
VII, fig. 4)
In female longer than the
base. Lanccolate, with
border row of three teeth
and median row of two
only (Plate VII, fig. 5)
Article No. I longer than in
the Russian form.
The
palp bears a dense growth
of hairs (Plate VII, fig. 6).
Same as in O. tholozani
(Plate VII, fig. 7)
No denticulate hairs on
the anterior conical pro-
trusion of body but a tuft
of short denticulate hairs
placed on the roof of the
Camerostome and only
seen when the rostrum is
raised.
T. 1 with wavy dorsal con-
tour. Dorsal spur not as
pointed as in the Russian
form. (Plate VIII, fig. 8)
T. 4 with hardly any
papillae on the ventral
border but with dorsal spur
as in the Russian form
(Plate VIII, fig. 9).
0.2x0.3 mm. 9 to 10
long hairs on each side.
0.65 to 0.7 mm. wide.
0.5 mm.
Not present
SUMMARY
Evidence is produced in this article to show
that Ornithodorus crossi Brumpt [1921] is a valid
species and not a synonym of Ornithodorus papil-
lipes Birula [1895].
REFERENCES
Nuttall, G.H.F. and Warburton, C. (1908). Ticks.
A monograph of the Ixodoidea, 42, 65 and 79
Pavlovsky, E. [1930.] Ornithodorus papillipes Birula
and Ornithodorus cholodkovskyi. Parasit, 22, 355-360
Brumpt, E. (1936). Precis de Parasitologine. 5th
Edn., 119-1201.