Tuhinga 23: 29-37, doi: 10.3897/tuhinga.23.e34198

A new species of soft tick (Ixodoidea: Argasidae) from the New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat, Mystacina tuberculata Gray

Allen C. G. Heath

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Citation: Heath ACG (2012) A new species of soft tick (Ixodoidea: Argasidae) from the New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat,Mystacina tuberculataGray. Tuhinga 23: 29-37. https://doi.org/10.3897/tuhinga.23.e34198

Abstract

Carios quadridentatus, a new species of argasid tick associated with the New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat, is described and illustrated from larval material. This is the second species of soft tick found in New Zealand, bringing the total number of tick species breeding in New Zealand to 11. The taxonomic history of bat ticks is discussed, together with the affinities of the new species with the Australian bat-tick fauna.

Keywords

Argasidae, Carios, soft tick, lesser short-tailed bat, New Zealand, new species