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Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis (Acari: Ixodidae) from Zambia: a molecular reassessment of their species status and identification

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Abstract

The closely related species Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis co-occur in a wide area in Zambia. In this area, specimens of both species have been collected on the same individual host at the same time. In addition, specimens that are morphologically intermediate between R. appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis have been found in this area. These observations cast some doubt on the species status of R. appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis. Because the two taxa have varied influences on the epidemiology of East Coast fever (ECF), a cattle disease for which they act as vectors, it is essential that their taxonomic status is clarified and their identification is accurate. Therefore a phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences of the ITS2 and a fragment of the mitochondrial 12S rDNA was performed to reassess the specific status of both taxa. This revealed two well supported clades coinciding with R. appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis as two separate species. In order to facilitate species identification a PCR-RFLP diagnostic assay was developed based on BauI digestion of the ITS2 gene. This assay produced clear diagnostic banding patterns for the two species and is applicable over a wide range of both species’ distribution.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the technical staff in Eastern and Southern provinces of Zambia for their help in tick collections. Special thanks to Pim De Rijk and Ko De Witte of ITMA for their invariable technical advice. H. Van Paesschen (RBINS) kindly prepared the artwork. Drs T. Marcotty and R. De Deken kindly collected the R. appendiculatus specimens from Hluhuwe, South Africa and Grande Comore, respectively. This study was made possible by funding from the Belgian Technical Co-operation (BTC) through the Assistance to Veterinary Services of Zambia (ASVEZA) project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary and Livestock Development, P.O. Box 670500, Mazabuka, Zambia

    J. Mtambo

  2. Animal Health Department, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium

    M. Madder & D. Berkvens

  3. Department of Parasitology, Entomology Section, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium

    W. Van Bortel

  4. Department of Biology, Evolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium

    T. Backeljau

  5. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat 29, 1000, Brussels, Belgium

    T. Backeljau

Authors
  1. J. Mtambo
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  2. M. Madder
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  3. W. Van Bortel
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  4. D. Berkvens
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  5. T. Backeljau
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Mtambo.

Additional information

Nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper are available in the GenBank™ under the accession numbers DQ849203–DQ849274.

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Mtambo, J., Madder, M., Van Bortel, W. et al. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and R. zambeziensis (Acari: Ixodidae) from Zambia: a molecular reassessment of their species status and identification. Exp Appl Acarol 41, 115–128 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-006-9037-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-006-9037-y

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