The First Report of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) kohlsi (Hoogstraal and Kaiser 1960) from Wild Goats (Capra hircus aegagrus) in Iran

Background: Studies concerning ticks were of interest to evaluate the distribution and composition of species affecting livestock, thus it was a main step in our knowledge of the pathogens that they may transmit by tick. Methods: A collection of 21 adult female and 15 male hard ticks, all is representing a single species of tick collected under the tail of wild goat. The specimens preserved in 70 % alcohol in glass vial and brought to laboratory for identification. In order to distinguish species relationships between wild and domestic animals, tick sampling has been achieved in 7 different places located around Kolah Qazi national park in Isfahan Province. Results: Important descriptions of ticks isolated from wild goat strongly supported that the tick species in this collection was only Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) kohlsi. Conclusion: It seems that this is the first report of Rh. (Boophilus) kohlsi in Iran. Wild sheep and goats live throughout Iran except in forest and other tall vegetation areas. Although, both animals has pastured occasionally in same open rangeland but we could not find any tick of Rh. (Boophilus) kohlsi in domestic animals.