Kingdom Animalia Order Ixodida Subfamily Hyalomminae Genus Hyalomma Subclass Acari | Superorder Parasitiformes Family Ixodidae Phylum Arthropoda Rank Species | |
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Similar Hyalomma, Hyalomma marginatum, Amblyomma variegatum, Ornithodoros, Argas persicus | ||
Hyalomma dromedarii is a species of hard-bodied ticks belonging to the family Ixodidae.
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Description
The dorsal shield (Conscutum) of males can reach a length of 3.7–5.78 millimetres (0.146–0.228 in). These hard-bodied ticks are broadly oval in shape.The basic color is yellow- to red-brown.
This species is closely associated with camels, that are the main hosts of the adults, which may also parasitize other domestic animals. Nymphs and larvae are associated with the same hosts, but can also parasitize rodents, hedgehogs and birds.
This specie is ascribed with spreading the virus that causes the life-threatening Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. The bites cause the surrounding tissue to die and become necrotic. The dead tissue falls out of the body after a few days. The wounds look very serious, but usually heal without any intervention and do not generally become infected any further.
Distribution
Hyalomma dromedarii is widespread in North Africa, the northern regions of West, Central, and East Africa, Arabia, Asia Minor, the Middle East, and Central and South Asia.