• Introduction
• Importance
• Systematics/ Taxonomy
• Seasonal occurrence/Life cycle
• Morphology
• Identification
• Ticks of veterinary importance
  • Introduction
  • Ixodidae-Amblyomma
  • Ixodidae-Hyalomma
  • Ixodidae-Ixodes
  • Ixodidae-Rhipicephalus
  • Argasidae-Argasinae
  • Argasidae-Ornithodorinae
  • Ticks of dogs
  • Ticks of reptiles
  • Other ixodid ticks
• Tick distribution
• References

Tick distribution

A considerable amount of data is available on the geographical distribution of some tick species of veterinary or human importance. The distribution is highly dependent on a number of factors including ecological and other requirements, host preference and availability and land-use and cover.

In most cases, the requirements are met in a larger area than the current geographical range of the particular tick species. As a result of anthropogenic activities and globalization, ticks can thus be found in a similar habitat far from their original distribution. It is important to be able to verify these observations as the importation of ticks into regions in which they did not originally occur could result in disease outbreaks and displacement of local tick species. Some of the recent examples are the introduction of cattle from Tanzania onto Grand Comoros resulting in East Coast fever outbreaks in 2003-2004, transmitted by Rhipicephalus appendiculatus to local cattle, and the introduction of Rhipicephalus  microplus into West Africa as a result of the importation of Girolando cattle from Brazil between 2000 and 2009.

The distribution of the African ticks of veterinary importance can be found at http://www.itg.be/photodatabase or the off-line site.