| Rhipicephalus appendiculatus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Female (left) and male (right) | |
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| R. appendiculatus in the ear of a calf | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Ixodida |
| Family: | Ixodidae |
| Genus: | Rhipicephalus |
| Species: | R. appendiculatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Neumann, 1901 | |
Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, the brown ear tick, [1] is a hard tick [2] found in Africa where it spreads the parasite Theileria parva , the cause of East Coast fever in cattle. [3] The tick has a three-host life-cycle, spending around 10% of its life feeding on animals. [2] The most common host species include buffalo, cattle, and large antelope, [2] but R. appendiculatus is also found on other animals, such as hares, dogs, and warthogs. [4]
Rhipicephalus appendiculatus is found in the center, east and south-east of Africa, [4] in areas with at least 24 in (610 mm) of rainfall each year. [2]
R. appendiculatus is 1.8 to 4.4 mm (0.071 to 0.173 in) long, and is a dark reddish-brown or brown color. [1]
The sex pheromone used by female ticks to attract males for mating consists of two chemicals; phenol and p-cresol. [5]
R. appendiculatus produces an activator of calcium activated potassium channels, the function of which is unclear. It has been hypothesized that it may enhance the blood flow at the feeding site. [6]
