Rhipicephalus spp : Brown ear tick, red-legged tick.

General Description: Inornate ticks having eyes and festoons. Males are 1.7 to 4.4mm long and 1.25 to 1.55mm wide. Unengorged females are about the same size; when engorged they are usually 6 to 11mm. R. evertsi has red legs.

Life Cycle: Brown ear tick (R. appendiculatus) is a three-host tick. Persistence of Rhipicephalus in an area where cattle are treated is afforded by the length of time that unfed ticks may live. Larvae can go 7 months without feeding. Nymphs survive more than 6 months and adults 14 months or more. The red-legged tick (R. evertsi) is a two-host tick. Larvae can survive 7 months and adults 14 months without feeding.

Location: All parts of an animal´s exterior.

Geographical Distribution: Worldwide but some species are confined to certain countries.

Significance: Transmission of protozoal disease makes this tick a serious problem of cattle.

Effects on Host: Large tick populations cause tick worry and associated damage. Iron-deficiency anaemia may occur. Rubbing and scratching may lead to raw skin and secondary bacterial infections. Rhipicephalus ticks transmit several portozoal diseases.

The brown ear tick (R. appendiculatus) is the chief vector of East Coast fever (Theileria parva). It also transmits bovine theileriasis (Theileria mutans) and bovine babesiosis (Babesia bigemina). The red-legged tick (R.evertsi) also transmits East Coast fever, cattle tick fever, and theileriasis.

Diagnostic Information: Ticks are found on all parts of the animal´s skin.

Control: Chemical dipping and/or spraying.

Ticks attached to ear of cow