The female measures approximately 2.03 - 2.42 mm in length and 0.99 - 1.24 mm in width
The scutum is almost as wide as long (widest at midlength) and features numerous, large, contiguous punctations, flat marginal eyes, and distinct cervical grooves with concave outer margins extending almost its entire length
The capitulum is much wider than the male's, with oval porose areas extending anteriorly nearly to the hypostome base and a small rounded depression between them, while the palpi and hypostome remain similar to the male's
The dorsal integument shows well-developed lateral grooves extending to the first festoon, distinct median and paramedian grooves, and 11 poorly differentiated dorsal festoons
Ventrally, the genital grooves diverge slightly to the level of the elongate-oval spiracular plates and then run parallel without touching the festoons, while the Y-shaped anal groove has arched lateral arms and a long posterior arm
The legs are similar to those of the male, but the apicoventral hooks on tarsi II to IV are only feebly developed.
Dhanda, Vijai. “Rhipicephalus Ramachandrai Sp. n. (Acarina: Ixodidae) from the Indian Gerbil, Tatera Indica (Hardwicke, 1807) (Rodentia: Muridae).” The Journal of Parasitology 52, no. 5 (1966): 1025–31. https://doi.org/10.2307/3276552.
Larva
The larval body measures approximately 0.46 - 0.51 mm in length and 0.34 - 0.38 mm in width
Its scutum is almost twice as broad as long, widest near the posterior end, with flat, indistinct marginal eyes
The capitulum features a dorsally rounded, ventrally rectangular basis capituli, an obsolete first palpal segment, and a small, posteriorly directed triangular ventral spur on the third palpal segment
The short, broad hypostome has a 2/2 dental formula with 4 teeth in the inner row and 5 in the outer row
The dorsal integument is covered in numerous setae and clearly displays 11 distinct festoons
The legs possess a small subtriangular spur on coxa I, while coxae II and III only feature small ridgelike projections.
Dhanda, Vijai. “Rhipicephalus Ramachandrai Sp. n. (Acarina: Ixodidae) from the Indian Gerbil, Tatera Indica (Hardwicke, 1807) (Rodentia: Muridae).” The Journal of Parasitology 52, no. 5 (1966): 1025–31. https://doi.org/10.2307/3276552.
Male
The body measures approximately 1.86 - 2.16 mm in length and 0.99 - 1.16 mm in width, changing from golden yellow when freshly emerged to light or dark brown upon preservation
The elongate-oval scutum is widest at the spiracles, featuring extremely numerous, large, mostly contiguous punctations, indistinct flat marginal eyes on the anterior fourth, distinct cervical pits with obsolete grooves, and poorly differentiated dorsal festoons
The hexagonal basis capituli has small distinct cornua and a wide ventrolateral salience, while the short palpi feature a triangular ventral plate with three feathery setae on segment 1, two to three feathery setae on segment 2, and a minute conical ventral spur on segment 3
The clavate hypostome has a 3/3 dental formula with ~5 teeth in the inner row and 7-8 in the outer rows
Ventrally, it possesses a large, oval, minutely serrated genital operculum, a longitudinal anal slit on a circular plate, large subtriangular anal shields with rounded posterior margins, small, bluntly pointed adanal shields, and 11 well-differentiated ventral festoons
The legs feature a deeply divided coxa I with a broad internal and narrow external spur, distinct triangular external spurs on coxae II to IV, and distinct apicoventral hooks on tarsi II to IV.
Dhanda, Vijai. “Rhipicephalus Ramachandrai Sp. n. (Acarina: Ixodidae) from the Indian Gerbil, Tatera Indica (Hardwicke, 1807) (Rodentia: Muridae).” The Journal of Parasitology 52, no. 5 (1966): 1025–31. https://doi.org/10.2307/3276552.
Nymph
The nymph measures approximately 0.97 - 1.08 mm in length and 0.54 - 0.65 mm in width
Its scutum is wider than long (widest at the posterior third) and features flat but distinct marginal eyes
The capitulum has a distinct ventroposterior cornualike process, and a basis capituli that is dorsally three times as wide as long with sharply pointed lateral salience
The palpi possess a single large feathery infrainternal seta on segment 1, a single feathery infrainternal seta on segment 2, and a minute, conical, posteriorly directed ventral spur on segment 3, accompanied by a clavate hypostome with a 2/2 dental formula
The dorsal integument has indistinct grooves and poorly differentiated festoons, while ventrally there are ovoid spiracular plates, divergent genital grooves, a Y-shaped anal groove with an extremely short posterior arm, and 11 well-differentiated ventral festoons
Leg coxa I has two distinct spurs (the outer slightly larger), coxa II has a large triangular spur, and coxae III and IV have shorter and minute spurs, respectively.
Dhanda, Vijai. “Rhipicephalus Ramachandrai Sp. n. (Acarina: Ixodidae) from the Indian Gerbil, Tatera Indica (Hardwicke, 1807) (Rodentia: Muridae).” The Journal of Parasitology 52, no. 5 (1966): 1025–31. https://doi.org/10.2307/3276552.
TickMapKB is a database of tick species, their distribution, and associated data, compiled from published literature and publicly available sources. The authors are not liable for any inaccuracies or omissions in this resource. This database is intended to support research on tick ecology and distribution and does not necessarily reflect the views or objectives of the authors’ affiliated institutions or funders.
