Ixodes anatis

Ixodes anatis, also called the kiwi tick, is a species of tick in the arthropod family Ixodidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and mainly parasitizes kiwi (family Apterygidae).

Ixodes anatis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Ixodida
Family:	Ixodidae
Genus:	Ixodes
Species:	I. anatis
Binomial name
Ixodes anatis Chilton, 1904

Taxonomy

Ixodes anatis Chilton (1904), also called the kiwi tick, is a species of tick endemic to New Zealand.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]}

The species was originally described by Charles Chilton in 1904.^[8] It was given the name anatis because the first specimens were collected from a grey duck.^[8] The type specimens are housed at Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, New Zealand (CMNZ).^[6][5][4]

Since its original description, the morphology of I. anatis has only been partially described and characterized.^[5][8] All stages of the species were recently re-described and illustrated.^[5]

Hosts

Ixodes anatis has a high host specificity and mainly parasitizes the North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) and the tokoeka (Apteryx australis).^[4][5] There are a handful of records that show it may have also been found on certain species of waterfowl.^[4][5] It is considered to be an endophilous and nidicolous species, which means it lives within the burrows and nests of its host, the kiwi.^[7]

Conservation status

Ixodes anatis is currently listed as "Not Threatened" in "Conservation status of parasitic mites and ticks (Acari) in New Zealand, 2021".^[9] Although it was previously considered to be Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable, and although its bird hosts are threatened, a better understanding of its populations has led to an improved conservation status.^[9]