Rhipicentor bicornis is a species of hard tick.Nuttall, G.H.F, & Warburton, C. (1908). On a new genus of Ixodoidea together with a description of eleven new species of ticks. Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 14, 392-416. Found throughout Southern and Central Africa,Fourie LJ, Horak IG, Kok DJ, Van Zyl W. Hosts, seasonal occurrence and life cycle of Rhipicentor nuttalli (Acari: Ixodidae). Onderstepoort J Vet Res. 2002 Sep;69(3):177-87. PMID: 12356163. the species feeds mainly on domestic animals, especially dogs, but is also found on wild dogs, cats, and raccoons.
Morphology Rhipicentor are large ticks, especially when engorged. They are inornate, with a short hypostome and palps. They have eyes, and distinct festoons. Coxae I and IV have very long external and internal spurs, close in coxa I and separated in coxa IV. In males, coxa IV is greatly enlarged.Walker JB. A review of the ixodid ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) occurring in southern Africa. Onderstepoort J Vet Res. 1991 Jun;58(2):81-105. PMID: 1881661.
Ecology and parasitism Rhipicentor bicornis is present in Southern Africa - in Northern South Africa (Transvaal region), Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and widely in Central Africa. Domestic dogs and cattle are the primary adult hosts, but the species is also known from wild canids such as foxes and jackals, and wild felids such as cheetahs, leopards, lions and servals.
Systematics and etymology Rhipicentor bicornis is the type species of Rhipicentor. It is one of two species of Rhipicentor, the other being Rhipicentor nuttalli. The name "bicornis" means 'two-horned', and likely refers to the highly salient paired cornua (horns) on the female capitulum. It may also refer to the large paired coxal spurs on coxae I and IV.
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