Morphological features used in descriptions of Rhipicephalus spp. and taxonomic and other terms.

Accessory adanal plates Pair of small sclerotized tructures lateral to the adanal plates in males. May be present or absent. Also called accessory plates.

Adanal plates Ventral pair of large

sclerotized structures lateral to the anus in males.

Alloscutum The portion of the body wall in females and immatures posterior to the scutum that expands enormously to accomodate the large volume of blood ingested when these stages feed.

Anterior Towards the front end.

Anterior process Referring to anterior process on coxae I. When seen from the dorsal surface it is a sclerotized anterior projection of these coxae protruding in front of the scapulae as in R. appendiculatus.

Anus Posterior opening of the alimentary tract, situated ventrally and medially, posterior to the last pair of legs.

Article Distinct articulated portion of a jointed appendage.

Basal Closest to the origin or insertion.

Basis capituli Basal portion of the capitulum on which the mouthparts are attached; in the genus Rhipicephalus the basis capituli is hexagonal.

Bifid Deeply cleft, forming two

long spurs. (See coxa).

Capitulum Anterior movable portion of the body which includes the basis capituli, palps, hypostome and chelicerae. The tick's ‘head’.

Caudal process Distinct projection arising posteromedially from the median posterior end of engorged males of many Rhipicephalus species.

Central field Area on the conscutum or scutum between and delimited by the internal cervical margins.

Cervical fields Areas anteriorly on the

conscutum or scutum delimited by the internal and external cervical margins.