June 2024

Hitching a ride

​The following tick was removed from a Gopher Tortoise from the Oklahoma Zoo, that was recently transported from Mexico.
The engorged female tick measured approximately 1.5 cm in length (Image 1).  Long palpi, scutal ornamentations not widely distributed, punctuations obvious, presence of eyes (Image 2); 4 hypostomal dentitions (image 3) and coxae IV with 2 short spurs (Image 4).

Image 1: Engorged female tick 
Image 2: Long palpi, scutal ornamentations not widely distributed, punctuations obvious, presence of eyes
Image 3: 4 hypostomal dentitions
​Image 4: Coxae IV with 2 short spurs 

What's your diagnosis?

​Amblyomma sabanerae, adult female.  These ticks have been reported from Mexico and Central America, infesting turtles of the genus Rhinoclemmys.  Each adult tick can ingest more than 2 ml of blood.