A HYMENOPTERAN PARASITOID OF THE BONT TICK AMBLYOMMA-VARIEGATUM FABRICIUS (ACARINA, IXODIDAE) IN KENYA

Forty-nine percent of 140 engorged Amblyomma variegatum F. nymphs coll ected over a period of 14 months from cattle in the Trans-Mara area, K enya, were found to contain parasitoids which emerged as adults. Six h undred and fifty engorged Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Neumann nymphs, and 31 A. cohaerens collected from the same animals, at the same time , had no parasitoids; neither had 146 A. variegatum and 241 R. appendi culatus collected from Rusinga Island, Kenya. The parasitoid from Tran s-Mara has been identified as Hunterellus hookeri. However, difference s with the already described H. hookeri were found warranting a descri ption of its main features and a detailed comparison. This is the firs t report of a parasitoid from A. variegatum.