Phenotypic and genotypic identification of hard ticks of the genus Haemaphysalis (Acari: Ixodidae) in Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

Morphotaxonomy based on phenotypic traits of immature hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) is a skill challenge and has prompted many inexperienced acarologists to adopt DNA-based methods for identifying and discriminating the species. The aim of this study is therefore to utilize COI gene for verifying the morphological status of Haemaphysalis ticks in Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 19 on-host ticks collected from four localities were first identified using specific illustrated taxonomic keys that lead to the genus of Haemaphysalis. Genotypic traits of tick species were then verified molecularly based on cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene using polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. Clustering analysis was carried out by constructing a phylogenetic tree to determine the genetic variation and diversity of local Haemaphysalis ticks. Based on external morphological characterizations, all immature ticks were successfully identified down to the genus level only. Molecular analysis of the genotypic using COI gene revealed 16 individuals (84%) as Haemaphysalis hystricis, and three individuals as H. humerosa with sequence homology of 97–99 and 86–87%, respectively. Haemaphysalis hystricis were clustered in their respective monophyletic group in the phylogeny trees with a bootstrap of 100%. Furthermore, a low intraspecific variation (<0.3%) was observed among Malaysian H. hystricis but high interspecific value (>15%) recorded. This study morphologically and molecularly confirms the presence of H. hystricis in Malaysia and the findings will add value to the existing knowledge in identification of ticks in this country.

Morphological and phylogenetic study of Hyalomma anatolicum in Al-Najaf, Iraq

“…This genus is present in Asia, North Africa, and Europe (14,15). The genus has the ability to live in high temperature and humid areas (16). Iraq and more specifically the middle of Iraq, Al-Najaf, suffers very hot summers with temperatures could reach up to 120 °F (17).The current study results agree with (18) who found that genus Hyalomma was the most detected ticks in Iraq.…”

High genetic diversity in hard ticks from a China-Myanmar border county

“…Similarly, 16S rRNA or cox 1 gene sequences of I. ovatus and species close to I. ovatus were downloaded from GenBank based on the results of BLAST, including I. vespertilionis and I. canisuga [ 16 – 18 ]. Using the same methods, representative sequences of several Haemaphysalis species were also downloaded, including H. shimoga , H. erinacei , H. cornigera , H. parva and H. kitaokai [ 19 – 23 ]. For R. microplus and H. longicornis , all of the 16S rRNA and cox 1 sequences of ticks from China were downloaded.…”

Morphological and molecular identification of ixodid tick species (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting cattle in Uganda

“…In this study, we aimed to identify the species of ticks currently infesting cattle across various agroecological zones of Uganda, as well as to provide a baseline investigation to a larger study on ticks and tick-borne diseases in Uganda (Malmberg and Hayer 2019 ). In order to achieve a more precise taxonomic classification of ticks in our study, we complemented the traditional morphotaxonomic approach with molecular techniques as recently suggested and applied in some studies (Brahma et al 2014 ; Ernieenor et al 2017 ; Estrada-Peña et al 2017 ; Estrada-Peña et al 2013 ). Molecular analyses were also done in order to provide sequence information for those tick species in Uganda that were not yet available in GenBank.…”