Haemaphysalis mariae Apanaskevich, 2024, n. sp.
Creators: name: Apanaskevich, Dmitry A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Ixodida
Ixodidae
Haemaphysalis
Haemaphysalis mariae

description: Haemaphysalis mariae n. sp.
Type-host: Lepus californicus Gray (Lagomorpha: Leporidae).
Other hosts: Lepus sp., Sylvilagus sp., unidentified rabbit (Lagomorpha: Leporidae), Capra hircus (Artiodactyla: Bovidae)
Type-locality: USA: Texas: Bexar County, Camp Bullis.
Other localities: USA: Colorado: Boulder County, 9 miles north of Boulder, 0.25 miles north of Haystack Mt.; Conejos County, Antonito, Fox Creek; Weld County, near Rockport; Oklahoma: Comanche County, Cache, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Hollis Canyon; Texas: Bastrop County, Colorado; Brooks County, Falfurrias; Calhoun County, Olivia; Crockett County, Ozona; Frio County; Gillespie County, Fredericksburg; Goliad County, Goliad; Jackson County, Ganado; Kimble County, Roosevelt; Kleberg County, Kingsville; Llano County, Llano; Mason County, Mason; Menard County, Menard; Nolan County, Sweetwater; Pecos County, Sheffield; 20 miles west of Sheffield; Reagan County, Best; Refugio County, Refugio; San Patricio County, Sinton; Starr County, Loma Vista; Sutton County, Sonora; Uvalde County, Reagan Wells; Uvalde County, Sabinal, Uvalde; Victoria County, Victoria.
Type-material: Holotype male, from L. californicus, Camp Bullis (~ 29°40’N, 98°34’W), Bexar County, Texas, USA, 16.viii.1943, J.M. Brennan (JMB); deposited in the USNTC (USNMENT 01784403). Allotype female, with the same collection data as for holotype; deposited in the USNTC (USNMENT 01784404). Paratypes: 409 males and 157 females. USA: Colorado: Boulder County, 9 miles north of Boulder (~ 40°14’N, 105°15’W), 0.25 miles north of Haystack Mt.: 1 male, from Sylvilagus sp., 27.iv.1940, B. Burroughs, USNMENT 01784394; Conejos County, Antonito (~ 37°4’N, 106°W), Fox Creek: 1 female, from Lepus sp., 25.iii.1931, USNMENT 01784395; Weld County, near Rockport (~ 40°53’N, 104°47’W): 1 female, from Lepus sp., 10.vii.1943, R.B. Williams, USNMENT 01784396; Oklahoma: Comanche County, Cache, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (~ 34°46’N, 98°42’W): 5 males and 1 female, from L. californicus, 5.viii.1942, F.B. McMurry (FBM), USNMENT 01784397; Comanche County, Cache, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Hollis Canyon (~ 34°45’N, 98°44’W): 4 males, from L. californicus, 6.viii.1941, FBM, USNMENT 01784398; Texas: Bastrop County, Colorado (~ 29°59’N, 97°8’W): 1 male, from L. californicus, 20.x.1904, F.C. Bishopp (FCB), USNMENT 01784399; Bexar County, Camp Bullis: 26 males and 1 female, from L. californicus, 29.v.1955, G. Kohls and W. Jellison, USNMENT 01784400; same locality: 5 males, from L. californicus, 7.vii.1944, JMB, USNMENT 01784401; same locality: 2 males, from L. californicus, 19.viii.1943, JMB, USNMENT 01784402; same locality: 9 males and 5 females, from L. californicus, 16.viii.1943, JMB, USNMENT 01784405; same locality: 4 males, from L. californicus, 19.viii.1943, JMB, USNMENT 01784406; same locality: 5 males, from L. californicus, 28.vi.1943, JMB, USNMENT 01784407; same locality: 18 males, JMB, USNMENT 01784408; same locality: 5 males and 3 females, JMB, USNMENT 01784409; same locality: 29 males and 6 females, JMB, USNMENT 01784410; same locality: 5 males, JMB, USNMENT 01784411; same locality: 3 males, JMB, USNMENT 01784412; same locality: 5 males, JMB, USNMENT 01784413; same locality: 12 males and 5 females, JMB, USNMENT 01784414; same locality: 1 male, JMB, USNMENT 01784415; same locality: 2 females, JMB, USNMENT 01784416; same locality: 4 males and 1 female, JMB, USNMENT 01784417; Brooks County, Falfurrias (~ 27°13’N, 98°8’W): 4 males and 6 females, from rabbit, 10.xi.1911, USNMENT 01784418; Calhoun County (~ 28°26’N, 96°36’W): 2 males and 7 females, from L. californicus, 3.x.1906, J.D. Mitchell (JDM), USNMENT 01784419; Calhoun County, Olivia (~ 28°38’N, 96°27’W): 6 males and 2 females, from L. californicus, 2.ix.1906, JDM, USNMENT 01784420; Crockett County, Ozona (~ 30°42’N, 101°12’W): 2 males, from L. californicus, 12.ix.1920, O.G. Babcock (OGB), USNMENT 01784421; Frio County (~ 28°51’N, 99°6’W): 3 males and 1 female, from L. californicus, 25.i.1915, C. T. Atkinson (CTA), USNMENT 01784422; Gillespie County, Fredericksburg (~ 30°16’N, 98°52’W): 3 females, vii.1920, USNMENT 01784423; Goliad County, Goliad (~ 28°40’N, 97°24’W): 3 males and 5 females, from L. californicus, 14.viii.1908, JDM, USNMENT 01784424; Jackson County, Ganado (~ 29°2’N, 96°30’W): 2 males and 3 females, from L. californicus, 1.ii.1911, CTA, USNMENT 01784425; Kimble County, Roosevelt (~ 30°29’N, 100°3’W): 3 males and 1 female, from L. californicus, 15.viii.1919, OGB, USNMENT 01784426; same locality: 6 males and 3 females, from L. californicus, 29.v.1921, OGB, USNMENT 01784427; Kleberg County, Kingsville (~ 27°30’N, 97°51’W): 2 males, from L. californicus, 1.xii.1938, J.C. Brown, USNMENT 01784428; Llano County, Llano (~ 30°45’N, 98°40’W): 4 males, from L. californicus, 10.vii.1906, J.C. Pratt (JCP), USNMENT 01784429; Mason County, Mason (~ 30°44’N, 99°13’W): 1 male and 8 females, from L. californicus, 21.ix.1914, E.W. Laake (EWL), USNMENT 01784430; Menard County, Menard (~ 30°55’N, 99°47’W): 33 males and 14 females, from L. californicus, 26.viii.1939, W.E. Ellis, USNMENT 01784431; same locality: 32 males and 12 females, from L. californicus, 20.vii.1939, R. Melvin, USNMENT 01784432; Nolan County, Sweetwater (~ 32°28’N, 100°24’W): 20 males and 2 females, from L. californicus, 15.vi.1909, FCB, USNMENT 01784433; Pecos County, Sheffield (~ 30°41’N, 101°49’W): 1 male, from L. californicus, 5.ix.1931, W.G. Bruce (WGB), USNMENT 01784434; same locality: 1 male, from L. californicus, 6.ix.1931, WGB, USNMENT 01784436; same locality: 1 male, from L. californicus, 28.vi.1927, OGB and FCB, USNMENT 01784437; 20 miles west of Sheffield: 2 males and 1 female, from L. californicus, 29.vi.1927, OGB and FCB, USNMENT 01784435; Reagan County, Best (~ 31°13’N, 101°37’W): 11 males and 4 females, from L. californicus, 11.v.1924, OGB, USNMENT 01784439; Refugio County, Refugio (~ 28°18’N, 97°16’W): 70 males and 29 females, from L. californicus, 2.ii.1911, CTA, USNMENT 01784440; San Patricio County, Sinton (~ 28°2’N, 97°30’W): 1 male and 1 female, from L. californicus, 2.ii.1911, CTA, USNMENT 01784441; Starr County, Loma Vista (~ 26°25’N, 98°58’W): 2 males, from L. californicus, 13.xi.1913, D.C. Parman (DCP) and FCB, USNMENT 01784442; Sutton County, Sonora (~ 30°34’N, 100°38’W): 7 males and 2 females, from L. californicus, OGB, USNMENT 01784443; same locality: 1 male and 1 female, reared from nymphs collected on domestic goat, 23.iii.1926, B.M. Halbert and C. Grey, USNMENT 01784444; Uvalde County, Reagan Wells (~ 29°32’N, 99°50’W): 11 males and 5 females, from L. californicus, 16.v.1925, EWL, USNMENT 01784445; Uvalde County, Sabinal (~ 29°19’N, 99°28’W): 1 female, from L. californicus, 17.xi.1909, JCP, USNMENT 01784446; Uvalde County, Uvalde (~ 29°12’N, 99°47’W): 1 male, from Sylvilagus sp., 18.xi.1914, DCP, USNMENT 01784447; same locality: 1 male and 2 females, from L. californicus, 3.vi.1918, FCB, USNMENT 01784448; same locality: 2 females, from L. californicus, 22.xi.1913, DCP, USNMENT 01784449; same locality: 3 males, from L. californicus, 20.xi.1913, DCP, USNMENT 01784450; Victoria County (~ 28°48’N, 96°58’W): 9 males and 7 females, from L. californicus, 27.v.1910, J. Webb, USNMENT 01784451; Victoria County, Victoria (~ 28°49’N, 96°59’W): 20 males and 10 females, from L. californicus, 1.ii.1911, CTA, USNMENT 01784452.
ZooBank registration: The Life Science Identifier (LSID) for Haemaphysalis mariae n. sp. is urn:lsid:zoobank. org:act: B29473BB-CE1C-45F0-BC1C-8CEB5FED542E.
Etymology: The species is named after Maria Anatolyevna Apanaskevich, my beloved wife, close friend and ixodologist who has made valuable contributions to the systematics of ticks and enthusiastically supported this and all my other works on ticks.
Description
Male [Based on 410 specimens; Figs. 1–3.] Conscutum (Fig. 1A–C) length from scapular apices to posterior margin 1.70–1.86 (1.78 ± 0.04; n = 35), width 1.14–1.30 (1.22 ± 0.04; n = 35), ratio 1.40–1.51 (1.46 ± 0.03; n = 35), broadly suboval, widest posterior to mid-length; scapulae short, blunt; cervical grooves faint, very shallow; lateral grooves deep, extending from level of leg III (sometimes leg II) to first festoon, enclosing first festoon (rarely enclosing first and second festoons); eleven distinct festoons; punctations distinct, dense, uniform in distribution, relatively small and shallow; slightly larger and deeper punctations in cervical fields; setae numerous, short (c. 0.01) and poorly distinct (Fig. 1A–C). Genital apron medial to posterior part of coxae II and anterior part of coxae III, with numerous moderately long denticles on posterior margin (Fig. 1D); postgenital sclerite (Fig. 2A) short and broad, more than twice as broad as long, band-like. Adanal sclerites (Fig. 2B) small, elongated and inclined posteromedially. Spiracular plates (Fig. 3A) length 0.22–0.28 (0.25 ± 0.02; n = 35), width 0.20–0.27 (0.24 ± 0.01; n = 35), ratio 0.90–1.14 (1.04 ± 0.06; n = 35); ratio length of spiracular plate to length of festoon I 1.44–2.23 (1.81 ± 0.21; n = 35), suboval, with short and broad dorsal prolongation.
Gnathosoma (Fig. 3B, C) length from palpal apices to cornual apices dorsally 0.46–0.51 (0.48 ± 0.01; n = 35), width of gnathosoma between lateral projection of palpal segments II dorsally 0.46–0.50 (0.48 ± 0.01; n = 35), ratio 0.93–1.04 (0.99 ± 0.02; n = 35). Dorsal basis capituli (Fig. 3B) length 0.19–0.22 (0.20 ± 0.01; n = 35), width 0.29–0.32 (0.30 ± 0.01; n = 35), ratio width to length 1.40–1.64 (1.50 ± 0.06; n = 35); subrectangular with slightly converging lateral margins, posterior margin nearly straight; cornua moderately long, with narrowly rounded apex, directed posteriorly, ratio total length of basis capituli, including cornua, to cornual length 4.00–6.00 (4.77 ± 0.55; n = 35). Ventral basis capituli (Fig. 3C, D) subrectangular; short, broadly triangular auriculae at posterior margin of basis capituli. Palpi (Fig. 3B–E) short, length dorsally (segments II–III) 0.26–0.30 (0.28 ± 0.01; n = 35), width 0.20– 0.24 (0.22 ± 0.01; n = 35), ratio 1.19–1.31 (1.24 ± 0.03; n = 35); broadly salient, ratio combined palpal width to basis capituli width 1.51–1.69 (1.59 ± 0.04; n = 35); segment I indistinct; dorsomedial margin of segment II gradually widening anteriorly at its mid-length; posterodorsal spur on segment II lacking; dorsally and ventrally posterolateral margin of segment II as slightly convex anteriorly directed arc; posteroventral spur of segment II lacking; numerous, broad and densely denticulated ventromedial setae on palpal segment II; segment III dorsally subtriangular with broadly rounded apex; moderately long ventral spur of segment III as long as broad, distinctly narrowing to broadly rounded apex. Hypostome (Fig. 3C) short, broadly rounded at apex; dental formula 3/3 throughout hypostomal length, with approximately 7 denticles in file.
Legs moderately long, slender. Coxae (Fig. 3F, G): coxa I with moderately long and narrow internal spur with broadly rounded apex, directed posteriorly and short external spur with narrowly rounded apex; internal spur at least twice as long as external spur; coxae II–IV each with moderately long to short and moderately narrow spur, with broadly to narrowly rounded apex; spurs slightly decreasing in size from coxa II to coxa IV, directed posteriorly or slightly posterolaterally. Trochanter I (Fig. 3H) with long dorsal spur, usually with narrowly rounded apex; trochanters I and II (Fig. 3F) with short and broad spur ventrally; trochanters III and IV without distinct spur.
Female [Based on 158 specimens; Figs. 4, 5.] Idiosoma (Fig. 4A) of unengorged specimens broadly suboval, widest approximately at mid-length. Scutum (Fig. 4A–D) length 0.96–1.14 (1.05 ± 0.04; n = 35), width 0.84–0.96 (0.89 ± 0.03; n = 35), ratio 1.09–1.25 (1.18 ± 0.04; n = 35); moderately broadly suboval, diverging in anterior 1/4, subparallel in 2 nd quarter and then gradually converging to broadly rounded and slightly angular posterior margin; cervical grooves distinct, narrow and relatively deep, extending posterior to scutal mid-length; punctations distinct, moderately dense, uniform in distribution, moderately small and moderately deep, slightly larger punctations bearing setae; setae (Fig. 4A–D) numerous, short (c. 0.02), distributed as figured. Setae of alloscutum (Fig. 4A, D) numerous, evenly distributed, slightly shorter than scutal setae (length of setae in center of alloscutum c.0.01). Genital aperture (Fig. 4E, F) medial to coxae III, broadly U-shaped with straight posterior margin, lateral margins straight and convergent, narrow genital sclerites, preatrial fold slightly bulged. Spiracular plates (Fig. 5A) length 0.24–0.34 (0.27 ± 0.02; n = 35), width 0.23–0.33 (0.28 ± 0.02; n = 35), ratio 0.91–1.07 (0.97 ± 0.04; n = 35), angularly subcircular, with short broad dorsal prolongation.
Gnathosoma (Fig. 5B, C) length from palpal apices to cornual apices dorsally 0.56–0.64 (0.60 ± 0.02; n = 35), width of gnathosoma between lateral projection of palpal segments II dorsally 0.60–0.68 (0.65 ± 0.02; n = 35), ratio 0.88–0.97 (0.93 ± 0.02; n = 35). Dorsal basis capituli (Fig. 5B) length 0.19–0.23 (0.21 ± 0.01; n = 35), width 0.41–0.48 (0.44 ± 0.01; n = 35), ratio width to length 2.00–2.25 (2.12 ± 0.07; n = 35); subrectangular, with slightly converging lateral margins; posterior margin nearly straight; cornua short to virtually lacking, with broadly rounded apex, ratio total length of basis capituli, including cornua, to cornual length 6.63–25.00 (11.87 ± 4.52; n = 35); porose areas suboval, with no clear circumscribed borders, moderately indented, greatest dimension slightly inclined posterolaterally, separated by distance nearly 1.5 times their width. Ventral basis capituli (Fig. 5C, D) subrectangular; short, broadly triangular auriculae at posterior margin of basis capituli. Palpi (Fig. 5B–E) short, length dorsally (segments II–III) 0.37–0.42 (0.39 ± 0.01; n = 35), width 0.27–0.32 (0.30 ± 0.01; n = 35), ratio 1.22–1.38 (1.31 ± 0.04; n = 35); broadly salient, ratio combined palpal width to basis capituli width 1.39–1.52 (1.45 ± 0.03; n = 35); segment I indistinct; dorsomedial margin of segment II gradually widening anteriorly at its mid-length; posterodorsal spur on segment II lacking; dorsally and ventrally posterolateral margin of segment II as slightly convex anteriorly directed arc; posteroventral spur of segment II lacking; numerous, broad and densely denticulated ventromedian setae on palpal segment II; segment III dorsally subtriangular with broadly rounded apex; moderately long ventral spur of segment III as long as broad, distinctly narrowing to broadly rounded apex. Hypostome (Fig. 5C) short, broadly rounded at apex; dental formula 3/3 throughout hypostomal length, with approximately 10 denticles in file.
Legs moderately long, slender. Coxae (Fig. 5F, G): coxa I with moderately long and narrow internal spur with broadly rounded apex, directed slightly posteriorly or slightly posterolaterally and short external spur with narrowly rounded apex; internal spur at least 3 times longer than external spur; coxae II–IV each with moderately long and narrow, subequal spur with broadly to narrow rounded apex, directed slightly posterolaterally. Trochanter I (Fig. 5H) with long dorsal spur, usually with narrowly rounded to pointed apex; trochanters I and II (Fig. 5F) with short and broad spur ventrally; trochanters III and IV without distinct spur.
Remarks
Previous workers misidentified all specimens of H. mariae n. sp. in the USNTC as H. leporispalustris.
There is a possibility that illustrations of the male and female of H. leporispalustris in Nuttall and Warburton (1915) made from Texan specimens are those of H. mariae n. sp. but only examination of those specimens can prove this.
By having a shorter ventral spur on palpal segment III and 3/3 hypostomal dentition in male and female, H. mariae n. sp. most closely resembles only those of H. leporispalustris in the Americas. During our study we noticed that Haemaphysalis leporispalustris exhibits some geographic variability with ticks from Western and parts of Central North America being somewhat different from the ticks collected elsewhere. For diagnostic purposes we illustrated H. leporispalustris from two localities: Montana and Texas (Figs. 6–8). Illustrated specimens of H. leporispalustris from Texas correspond to the morphology of the syntypes and were collected in the same geographic locality as H. mariae n. sp.
Both males and females of H. mariae n. sp. can readily be distinguished from males and females of H. leporispalustris by the overall larger size: mean length of conscutum in males 1.78 mm [1.70–1.86 mm; here and below the min–max is in parenthesis], mean length of scutum in females 1.05 mm [0.96–1.14 mm] (vs overall smaller size: mean length of conscutum in males 1.40 mm [1.12–1.66 mm], mean length of scutum in females 0.88 mm [0.78–1.00 mm] in H. leporispalustris), shorter and more obtuse lateral salience of palpal segment II, mean ratio combined palpal width to dorsal basis capituli width 1.59 [1.51–1.69] in males and 1.45 [1.39–1.52] in females (vs longer and acute lateral salience of palpal segment II in H. leporispalustris, mean ratio combined palpal width to dorsal basis capituli width 1.79 [1.69–1.92] in males and 1.54 [1.46–1.64] in females in H. leporispalustris), broadly rounded apex of palpal segment III (vs relatively narrower rounded at apex palpal segment III in H. leporispalustris), longer, narrower and distinctly narrowing towards its apex ventral spur on palpal segment III (vs very short, broad and not narrowing or very slightly narrowing towards its apex spur in H. leporispalustris) and longer and narrower internal spur on coxa I (vs short and very broad internal spur on coxa I in H. leporispalustris). Additionally males of H. mariae n. sp. can be distinguished from males of H. leporispalustris by their smaller and shallower punctations on conscutum providing it with a relatively smooth appearance (vs larger and deeper punctation on conscutum, providing it with a rougher appearance in H. leporispalustris), usually longer lateral grooves that extend from level of coxae III (vs usually shorter lateral grooves that extend from level of coxae IV in H. leporispalustris) and mean ratio of dorsal gnathosoma length to combined palpal width 0.99 [0.93–1.04] (vs mean ratio of dorsal gnathosoma length to combined palpal width 0.89 [0.79–0.94] in H. leporispalustris. Females of H. mariae n. sp. can also be distinguished from females of H. leporispalustris by numerous punctations on the lateral fields of the scutum (vs lacking or very few punctations on the lateral fields of the scutum giving very smooth appearance to these areas in H. leporispalustris).
Collection data for H. mariae n. sp. are listed in the materials above. This species was collected in the USA (Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas States) (Fig. 9). In 15 collection lots from Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado, adults of H. mariae n. sp. were found together with the specimens of H. leporispalustris collected from the same individual host. Total sympatry in space and time supports species independency of H. mariae n. sp. On the majority of the labels in the collections, the host was identified as “jackrabbit”. Based on the geographic distributions of various species of Lepus Linnaeus (Wilson & Reeder 2005), we limited the host of H. mariae n. sp. collected in Texas and Oklahoma to L. californicus. The vast majority of adults were found on the black-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus californicus, and some collections were made from unidentified jackrabbits, Lepus sp., unidentified cottontails, Sylvilagus sp. and unspecified rabbits. Pharate male and female were found in nymphs collected on a domestic goat. The collection lot that contains these pharate adults as well as several nymphs also contained more specimens than indicated in the catalogue; this may reflect potential mislabeling. Males and females were collected during all months of the year.
Future works should aim to describe the immature stages and employ genomic sequencing to assess the overall systematic position of the new species amongst other members of the American Haemaphysalis.
description: Published as part of Apanaskevich, Dmitry A., 2024, Description of a new species of Haemaphysalis Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae), a parasite of hares and rabbits (Lagomorpha: Leporidae) in Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado (USA), that was misidentified as H. leporispalustris (Packard, 1869) for more than a century, pp. 435-450 in Zootaxa 5486 (3) on pages 437-448, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5486.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/13210062