Determination of species diversity of Ixodidae ticks in Mohabad slaughter sheep

Ticks are one of the most serious pests in animal husbandry and they can transmit various disease. Of the serious transmitted disease by the ticks theilerioses and babesioses are very widespread in our studied area. Thus, this study was conducted on sheep ticks species diversity in Mahabad slaughter house to obtain epidemiological important aspects of sheep disease transmitted by ticks in this area. Based on the obtained results in this study, the species diversity of ticks found were as follows: Hyalomma anatolicom anatolicom, Hyalomma anatolicom excavatum, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus sanguinus and Haemaphysalis punctata. Hyalomma anatolicom anatolicom is the most frequent tick which is about 181 out of 634, taking 28.5% of the whole, and is responsible for the highest infection rate. The least infection rate belonged to Haemaphysalis punctata with only 56 ticks out of 634, which is taking only 8.8% of the whole. 164 ticks belonged to Hyalomma anatolicom anatolicom, Rhipicephalus bursa species, taking 25.8%. 136 ticks belonged to Hyalomma anatolicom excavatum, comprising 21.4%. Other 97 ticks belonged to Rhipicephalus sanguinus species including 15.2%