Van İli Erciş İlçesindeki Kara Kaplumbağalarında (Testudo graeca,Linnaeus,1758) Kene Enfestasyonları

This study was carried out in June-August 2011 in Ercis district of Van province with the aim to identify the tick species living on tortoise (Testudo graeca). 37 tortoises were studied and 328 adult ticks were collected. All the tortoises (100%) were found to be infested with ticks. A stereomicroscope diagnosis showed that all the ticks were Hyalomma aegyptium, and 171 (71.84%) of these ticks were female and 67 (28.15%) of them were male. Because the tortoises gather in promenade and meadov areas H. aegyptium has been established to be able to make heavy infestations in animals and human beings, tortoise have been seen to take role as reservoir host of H. aegyptium.