MORPHOLOGY OF MARGAROPUS WlNTHEMI (ACARI: IXODIDAE) BASED ON SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDY WITH COMPARATIVE MORPHOMETRIC AND PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS

About authors:

Belozerov V. N., Biological Research Institute, St. Petersburg State University, Stary Peterhof, St. Petersburg, 198504, Russia

Voltzit O.V., Zoological Museum of Moscow State University, Bol. Nikitskaya 6, Moscow, 125009 Russia
D.J. Kok, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, 9300 Republic of South Africa
L.J. Fourie, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, 9300 Republic of South Africa

Acknowledgments:

We wish to express best thanks to Prof. Dr. J.E. Keirans (Institute of Arthropodology & Parasitolo-gy, Georgia Southern University, USA) who granted some specimens of B. kohlsi and B. geigyi to Zoological Museum of Moscow State University.

Annotation:

The paper presents the first scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study of the morphology of Margaropus winthemi, the South African winter horse (or beady-legged) tick illustrated by SEM micrographs of all its life-cycle stages. A redescrip-tion of both immature stages (larva and nymph) is presented. The results of comparative morphomet-ric and phy logenetic analy sises of Margaropus and Boophilus ticks evidencing the monophyly of both genera are provided. The paper also includes the original keys to adult ticks of all known species of Margaropus and Boophilus.

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