Studies of ticks in Malaysia from past articles were reviewed, resulting in a list of 47 species belonging to seven genera (Argas, Ornithodoros, Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Ixodes, and Rhipicephalus). The most prevalent genus in Malaysia is Haemaphysalis (20 species), followed by Amblyomma (eight species) and Dermacentor (seven species). Out of 47 species, only 28 have bitten humans, mostly belonging to Haemaphysalis. The most researched tick-borne pathogens in Malaysia are Rickettsia and Anaplasma, and most research was focused on the tropical-lineage brown dog ticks, R. sanguineus sensu lato, and the cattle ticks, Haemaphysalis bispinosa and Rhipicephalus microplus. 18 species were excluded from the list due to lack of definite records or dubious findings: Ornithodoros mimon, O. turicata, Amblyomma breviscutatum, A. clypeolatum, A. integrum, A. maculatum, Dermacentor marginatum, D. taiwanensis, Haemaphysalis birmaniae, H. flava, H. humerosa, H. longicornis, H. punctata, H. sulcata, Ixodes holocyclus, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, R. annulatus and R. bursa. This paper presents the first complete and updated list for Dermacentor and Ixodes tick species in Malaysia since Kohls (1957).
Birds are easily infested with ectoparasites due to their fitness, foraging behaviour, nesting cavities, micro- and macro-habitats. However, the status of ectoparasite infestation on birds in Sarawak is widely unknown. Rice field provides food resources to a variety of birds. This study was conducted to determine the species composition of ectoparasites from birds in a rice field at Kuap Village, Samarahan, Sarawak. A total of 69 birds consists of five species were caught from the rice field and the most common bird species found was the Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla). From these, 55 were found infested with ectoparasites with the infestation prevalence of 79.71%. A total of 2,513 ectoparasites from eight species were recovered from this study which comprised of six species of mites, one species of soft tick, and one species from the class Insecta. The most dominant ectoparasite species was mite namely, Nanopterodectes sp. with a total of 1,626 individuals. This baseline data on the ectoparasite composition and infestation of birds is important as some of the ectoparasites have the potential in transmitting zoonotic diseases to the farmers working at the rice fields in this region.
Megaselia scalaris (Loew) is a cosmopolitan polyphagous small fly with the ability of exploiting variety of ecological niches. Different life history stages act as detritivore, parasite, and parasitoid of wider spectrum of plant and animal matter under natural and laboratory conditions. Here, for the first time we present the opportunistic parasitism of M. scalaris on Otobius megnini, which act as a vector of Q fever and is capable of causing paralysis, toxic conditions, otoacariasis and otitis in humans and other animals. Tick samples from the ear canals of 14 thoroughbred horses were brought to the laboratory and several days later, larvae of M. scalaris were found feeding on immature stages of O. megnini. When the development was completed pupae were found attached to adult ticks and all nymphs were found dead. This context reveals the capability of M. scalaris surviving on O. megnini and the risk of their invading ear canals of horses.