''Hyalomma marginatum'' is a hard-bodied

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 ...

found on birds including the

pale crag martin The pale crag martin (''Ptyonoprogne obsoleta'') is a small passerine bird in the swallow family that is resident in Northern Africa and in Southwestern Asia, east to Pakistan. It breeds mainly in the mountains, but also at lower altitudes, esp ...

. This tick has been implicated in the transmission of Bahig virus, a

pathogen In biology, a pathogen ( el, πάθος, "suffering", "passion" and , "producer of") in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a germ ...

arbovirus Arbovirus is an informal name for any virus that is transmitted by arthropod vectors. The term ''arbovirus'' is a portmanteau word (''ar''thropod-''bo''rne ''virus''). ''Tibovirus'' (''ti''ck-''bo''rne ''virus'') is sometimes used to more spe ...

previously thought to be transmitted only by mosquitoes. The Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus has also been detected in ticks of this type removed from

migratory bird Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between Breeding in the wild, breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Animal migration, Migration carries high costs in predation a ...

s in Morocco. '' Hyalomma marginatum marginatum'' is a

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

. The subspecies is typically found in northern Africa, southern Europe and some parts of Asia. It was also identified in Germany in 2006. It is found in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

References

Ixodidae Parasites of birds Arachnids of Africa Arachnids of Asia Arachnids of Europe Invertebrates of North Africa Animals described in 1844 Taxa named by Carl Ludwig Koch {{acari-stub