A study on Hard Ticks' Diversity and Seasonal Dynamics on Domestic Animals in Thi- Qar Provinces

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Thi-Qar, Iraq

Abstract
To determine and classify the seasonal distributions of the major hard tick species (Ixodidae) on cattle , dogs, and buffaloes ,samples were collected from districts and sub-districts across Thi-Qar Province (southern Iraq), and an observatory was conducted between January and December 2024. A total domestic animals (cattle, buffaloes, and dogs) 3.812were examined , from which 11333 mature hard ticks were recovered. To ascertain the seasonal diversity. Two species from two genera (Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus) were found; Hyalomma anatolicum (62.76%) and Rhipicephalus turanicus (37.24%) were the most prevalent ticks. Although variations in tick abundance were observed among the surveyed localities, Chi-square analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in infestation rates between locations (P > 0.05). The findings provide updated baseline data on the distribution of hard ticks infesting domestic animals in Thi-Qar Province.

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Volume 12, Issue 3
Summer 2026
Pages 137-144

  • Receive Date 11 January 2026
  • Revise Date 21 February 2026
  • Accept Date 22 February 2026
  • First Publish Date 13 April 2026
  • Publish Date 01 July 2026