PARASITES OF DOMESTIC AND WILD ANIMALS IN SOUTH-AFRICA .22. IXODID TICKS ON SCRUB HARES IN THE TRANSVAAL

A total of 264 scrub hares (Lepus saxatilis) were examined for ixodid ticks at various localities in the Kruger National Park, eastern Trans vaal Lowveld. Thirteen tick species were recovered from these hares. T he seasonal abundances of the immature stages of Amblyomma hebraeum, A mblyomma marmoreum, Hyalomma truncatum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Rhipicephalus simus and Rhipicephalus z ambeziensis and all stages of a Rhipicephalus sp. (near R. pravus) wer e determined. Three scrub hares, examined in the north-western Transva al Bushveld, were infested with five ixodid tick species. Ten hares ex amined in the eastern Transvaal Highveld harboured three species. A to tal of 15 ixodid tick species were recovered from the scrub hares exam ined in the three regions of the Transvaal. No haematozoa were found i n blood smears made from the hares examined in the southern region of the Kruger National Park.