Amblyomma varanense (Supino, 1897)

Petney, Trevor N., Boulanger, Nathalie, Saijuntha, Weerachai, Chitimia-Dobler, Lidia, Pfeffer, Martin, Eamudomkarn, Chatanun, Andrews, Ross H., Ahamad, Mariana, Putthasorn, Noppadon, Muders, Senta V., Petney, David A. & Robbins, Richard G., 2019, Ticks (Argasidae, Ixodidae) and tick-borne diseases of continental Southeast Asia, Zootaxa 4558 (1), pp. 1-89 : 18

Amblyomma varanense (Supino, 1897)

This Australasian and Oriental species predominantly parasitizes lizards and snakes in moist broadleaf forests (Guglielmone et al. 2014). Tortoises and mammals have also been reported as hosts on rare occasions. For the complex synonymy see Petney and Keirans (1996b).

Amblyomma varanense is common and widespread throughout continental Southeast Asia, also occurring in China, the Penghu Islands (Taiwan), India, Nepal and Sri Lanka ( Kaufman 1972; Teng and Jiang 1991 as Aponomma lucasi and Aponomma barbouri ; Petney and Keirans 1996b, Robbins 1996 as Aponomma varanensis ; Pun et al. 2018). It has been recorded as an accidental parasite of various wild and domestic mammal hosts ( Kaufman 1972).

The male and female are described and illustrated in Kaufman (1972, as Aponomma varanensis ). The nymph and larva are described in Sharif (1928), as Aponomma gervaisi lucasi .