''Cosmiomma'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

tick Ticks (order Ixodida) are parasitic arachnids that are part of the mite superorder Parasitiformes. Adult ticks are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length depending on age, sex, species, and "fullness". Ticks are external parasites, living by ...

s first discovered by

Paul Schulze Paul Schulze (born June 12, 1962) is an American actor. He is known for appearing in ''The Sopranos'', ''Nurse Jackie'', '' 24'' (2002–2004), and '' The Punisher'' (2017), and his films roles in ''Panic Room'' (2002), and ''Rambo'' (2008). C ...

in 1919.

. 1919. Bestimmungstabelle für das Zeckengenus ''Hyalomma'', Koch. ''Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin'', 5:189–196, http://biostor.org/reference/127288, last accessed 24 Jun 2019. It is

monospecific In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

, being represented by the single species ''Cosmiomma hippopotamensis''. It was first described in 1843 by Henry Denny from specimens collected from a

hippopotamus The hippopotamus ( ; : hippopotamuses or hippopotami; ''Hippopotamus amphibius''), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extan ...

in Southern Africa, and has been called "one of the most unusual, beautiful, and rare tick species known to the world."

Taxonomy and systematics

The

taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

position of the

''Cosmiomma'' has been unstable since the male and female of the

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

were first described as two separate species. As late as 1997, two published studies based on the type species'

morphology Morphology, from the Greek and meaning "study of shape", may refer to: Disciplines * Morphology (archaeology), study of the shapes or forms of artifacts * Morphology (astronomy), study of the shape of astronomical objects such as nebulae, galaxies ...

concluded separately that ''Cosmiomma'' was most closely related to ''

Rhipicephalus ''Rhipicephalus'' is a genus of ticks in the family Ixodidae, the hard ticks, consisting of about 74 or 75 species. Most are native to tropical Africa.Olwoch, J. M., et al. (2007)Climate change and the genus ''Rhipicephalus'' (Acari: Ixodidae) in ...

'' species ticks and that ''Cosmiomma'' was more closely related to ''

Dermacentor ''Dermacentor'' is a genus of ticks in the family Ixodidae, the hard ticks. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, with native species on all continents except Australia. Most occur in the Nearctic realm. Hosts of ''Dermacentor'' ticks incl ...

'' species. The name "cosmiomma" is believed to be derived from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

“cosmima,” meaning jewelry and “omma,” meaning eye.

Description

Adults have an ornate black pattern on their pale yellowish scutum, and light-colored mottling on the dorsal surfaces of their legs. They are relatively large ticks, averaging 8.5 mm (0.3 inch) in length and 6 mm (0.2 inch) in breadth.Don R. Arthur. Ticks, A Monograph of the Ixodiodea, Part V on the Genera ''Dermacentor'', ''Anocentor'', ''Cosmiomma'', ''Boophilus'' & ''Margaropus''. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 1960, pp. 197-204, https://books.google.com/books?id=k688AAAAIAAJ, last accessed 24 Jun 2019. They are morphologically similar to, but uniquely different from, certain species of ''

Amblyomma ''Amblyomma'' is a genus of hard ticks. Some are disease vectors, for example the Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Brazil or ehrlichiosis in the United States. This genus is the third largest in the family Ixodidae, with its species primarily o ...

'', ''

'', and ''

Hyalomma ''Hyalomma'' is a genus of hard-bodied ticks common in Asia, Europe, and North Africa. They are also found in Southern Africa. The name is derived from Greek: hyalos (ὕαλος) crystal, glass; and omma (oμμα) eye. The genus is believed to ...

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

of ticks.

Distribution and habitat

''Cosmiomma hippopotamensis'' have been recorded from widely separated localities in east and southern Africa, including Namibia, Angola, and Kenya. They have been collected from the

common hippopotamus The hippopotamus ( ; : hippopotamuses or hippopotami; ''Hippopotamus amphibius''), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extan ...

and the

black rhinoceros The black rhinoceros, black rhino or hook-lipped rhinoceros (''Diceros bicornis'') is a species of rhinoceros, native to eastern and southern Africa including Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania ...

, the latter of which is believed to be its most likely primary

host A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places * Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County People *Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman * Michel Host ...

. Questing ticks have also been collected from vegetation.

References

External links

Color illustrations of ''C. hippopotamensis'' in Apanaskevich et al., 2013
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q15924622, from2=Q10460522 Ticks Ixodidae Monotypic arachnid genera