The hard tick fauna (Acari: Ixodida) of the Iriomote cat (<I>Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis</I>) in Iriomote Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan: a literature review with emphasis on need for surveillance of tick-borne pathogens

Abstract

Understanding the hard tick (Acari: Ixodida) fauna of the Iriomote cat (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis Imaizumi 1967), an endangered species, is important for ecosystem conservation. However, there are no comprehensive reports on this topic. In this study, literature on the composition of tick species infesting Iriomote cats between 1975 and 2012 were compared. This study also reviewed on tick-borne pathogens found on Iriomote Island. Ticks Amblyomma testudinarium Koch 1844, Haemaphysalis hystricis Supino 1897, Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann 1901, and Asiatic blue ticks (Rhipicephalus [Boophilus] microplus Canestrini 1888) were identified from Iriomote cats. Asiatic blue ticks were identified in 1975 and 1983-1985, whereas H. longicornis was identified from Iriomote cats for the first time in 2011-2012. Amblyomma testudinarium and H. hystricis were identified from Iriomote cats throughout the study period. Gene fragments of