Amblyomma variegatum

[Entomologist210]

Just thought I'd post this here for all those folks who think there are no beautiful ticks. This is a male Amblyomma variegatum I found in a vial that had no alcohol while curating our collection. The colors are actually pretty well preserved, though the real thing has a gorgeous iridescence to the scutum. A colleague of mine has a picture he took at an abattoir in the Dominican Republic with a steer who's ears and neck were so encrusted with these bad boys that you might have sworn it was wearing expensive jewelry. Absolutely one of my favorite ticks.

 

[pannaking22]

Nice to see some fancy tick pics! I'm partial to Dermacentor rhinoceros as well. For a "plainer" tick (though one of the nicest in the genus) I always like seeing Rhipicephalus pulchellus. Got heaps of those over in Kenya.

 

[Entomologist210]

I've got that too! Friend of mine found it while doing locust research in Mozambique. Interesting fact, Mozambique has no Rhinoceroses since they went extinct there. Tick still thrives since it's a three-host tick that can get on a wide range of ungulates.

 

[pannaking22]

I don't think there's enough enameling there for R. pulchellus. Looks like a closer match to R. maculatus, which is a lot harder to find!

 

[Entomologist210]

Wrong photo! (Need to look at these things before uploading since my catalog numbers are a mess) Still, it *is* a nice specimen! I'll dig around and find the D. rhinocerinus. I know I've got it someplace since I also photographed a Rhipicephalus appendiculatus as well.