A first record of the tortoise tick, Hyalomma aegyptium (Linnaeus 1758) on Malta

ABSTRACT

Tortoises of the genus Testudo are commonly kept pets on the Maltese Islands. This is a first record of the presence of Hyalomma aegyptium (Linnaeus 1758), also known as the “tortoise tick,” on Malta. Two male H. aegyptium were collected from an adult Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca Linnaeus 1758) and a further two male H. aegyptium were collected from an adult female Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni Lortet 1883). These tortoises were believed to be illegally imported, wild-caught specimens from North Africa. The presence of H. aegyptium on Malta is of both biological and medical relevance since these ticks are known potential vectors for numerous zoonotic diseases. This is also believed to be the first record of T. kleinmanni as a host for H. aegyptium.

KEYWORDS:

• Hyalomma aegyptium
• Acari
• tortoise tick
• Testudo graeca
• Testudo kleinmanni
• Malta

Acknowledgments

The work reported here was partially funded by an award to LSL from the ‘Master it!’ Scholarship Scheme (Malta).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.