A double monstrosity in the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus: description of a first teratological case identified in Benin in West Africa

ABSTRACT

A total of 5329 ticks were collected from 85 dogs in three different municipalities of Benin in West Africa. Among the species of Rhipicephalus sanguineus collected in Abomey-Calavi, the presence of a specimen with double monstrosities was revealed. The abnormal tick is a male with four pairs of legs, but the body is double lobed at the back. It has four spiracular plates, two of which are at the base at the level of the festoons and two others at the level of the fourth coxae. The specimen also has two symmetrical anal orifices, each surrounded by two adanal plates and two accessory plates, leading up to a single genital orifice. This specimen contributes to the growing database of teratological ticks.

KEYWORDS:

• Amblyomma variegatum
• Benin
• Haemaphysalis leachi
• Rhipicephalus sanguineus
• teratology

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Maurice Landry KOUNONZO, private veterinarian in the three municipalities of this study, for his assistance during the collection of field samples.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).