Species Diversity and Infestation Patterns of Ixodid Ticks Associated with Dromedary Camels (Camelus dromedarius) under Arid and Semi-arid Conditions in Southern Algeria

Ixodid ticks infesting camels act as vectors of tick-borne diseases, which pose significant public health challenges and cause considerable socio-economic losses to the livestock industry in tropical and subtropical regions. This study aimed to identify the predominant ixodid tick species infesting dromedary camels and to evaluate their diversity in the arid and semi-arid climates of southern Algeria from 2016 to 2025. Sampling was carried out across major camel-rearing regions at various sites, including farms, slaughterhouses, and livestock markets. A total of 539 adult ixodid ticks were collected from 102 infested camels, of which 60 engorged females were identified as Hyalomma . spp. The remaining 479 ticks consisted of 300 males (62.6%) and 179 females (37.4%), with no immature stages observed. Tick abundance was higher in the hyper-arid desert zone ( n  = 343; 63.6%) than in the semi-arid steppe zone ( n  = 196; 36.4%). Morphological identification revealed two genera: Hyalomma spp. and Rhipicephalus spp. Hyalomma dromedarii was the most abundant species ( n  = 430; 89.8%), followed by H. impeltatum ( n  = 48; 10.0%), while Rhipicephalus sanguineus (sensu lato) was represented by a single specimen ( n  = 1; 0.2%). In camels from the semi-arid steppe zone, Hyalomma dromedarii was primarily found on the udder and inguinal regions (66.3%), followed by the perineal area (16.6%), abdomen (14.9%), and sternum (2.3%). No ticks were observed on other body regions, highlighting a distinct site-specific attachment pattern for this species. The findings highlight H. dromedarii as the primary tick species infesting camels in both the semi-arid steppe and hyper-arid desert regions of southern Algeria. This research offers crucial baseline data to support targeted control strategies against ticks and tick-borne pathogens, ultimately enhancing camel health and productivity.