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Australian Journal of Zoology Australian Journal of Zoology Society
Evolutionary, molecular and comparative zoology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

New host records for ticks (Ixodidae) from the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) in north Queensland

Haylee J. Weaver
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Qld 4556, Australia. Email: hweaver@usc.edu.au

Australian Journal of Zoology 62(4) 268-271 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO14023
Submitted: 4 April 2014  Accepted: 8 July 2014   Published: 31 July 2014

Abstract

Ticks (Ixodidae) were collected from northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) from three sites on the Atherton Tableland, north Queensland. Four species of ticks (Haemaphysalis humerosa, Ixodes fecialis, I. holocyclus and I. tasmani) were collected from quolls. Prevalence of infestation of ticks varied from 44 to 92% across the three sites. The collection of the three species of Ixodes represents new host records for D. hallucatus, thus adding valuable new details to the ecology of the parasite fauna of an endangered marsupial.

Additional keywords: conservation, Dasyuridae, ecology, Haemaphysalis, Ixodes.


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