Table 2.

Morphological characteristics of different tick species.

Species	Sex	Figure	Dorsum: body size and coloration	Basis capituli	Legs	Abdomen	Spiracular plate
H. anatolicum	Male	Figure 2	Small body; elongate-oval reddish-brown dorsum	⋆Sub-trapezoidal with a slightly concave posterior margin	Coxa I with equal external/internal spurs; coxae II–III lack internal spurs; coxa IV with denticle-like spur	Ventral anal plate and accessory adanal plates (broad, short angular projections)	⋆Spatulate with elongated “handle” near the dorsal margin
H. anatolicum	Female	Figure 3	Small body size; rhomboid-like yellowish-brown scutum	⋆Sub-trapezoidal with a straight posterior margin; oval porose areas (interporose distance ≈ shorter diameter)	Coxa I with equal spurs; coxae II-IV lack internal spurs	–	Sub-rectangular with right-angled dorsal projection
H. asiaticum	Male	Figure 4	Medium-sized; pyriform reddish-brown dorsum	⋆Sub-trapezoidal with a deeply concave posterior margin	Robust elongated legs; coxa I with curved external spur ( ≤ internal spur); coxae II–IV small diminishing spurs	Ventral anal plate and accessory adanal plates (broad triangular projections)	⋆Flask-shaped with narrow elongated “neck” near the dorsal margin
H. asiaticum	Female	Figure 5	Medium-sized; dark brown rhomboid scutum (merged cervical and lateral grooves)	⋆Sub-trapezoidal with a straight posterior margin; oval porose areas (interporose distance < shorter diameter)	Robust elongated legs; coxa I with curved external spur ( ≤ internal spur); coxae II–IV small diminishing spurs	–	Elongated oval with right-angled dorsal projection
H. dromedarii	Male	Figure 6	⋆Large-sized; oval dark brown dorsum with coarse punctations. Median pale-yellow festoon	Sub-trapezoidal with a shallowly concave posterior margin	Robust legs (IV stoutest); coxa I with equal spurs; coxae II–IV small diminishing spurs	⋆Ventral anal plate > accessory plates; inverted triangular genital apron	Spatulate
H. dromedarii	Female	Figure 7	Large-sized; broad dark brown scutum	Broad and short with a convex lateral margin and a straight posterior margin; oval porose areas (interporose distance of ≤ shorter diameter)	–	⋆Genital apron is an inverted triangular	Elongated oval with short dorsal projection and chitinous thickening
R. turanicus	Male	Figure 8	Small body; melon-seed-shaped russet-brown dorsum	⋆Hexagonal with prominent basal angles	Moderately stout legs; coxa I with equal external/internal spurs; coxae II–IV small denticle-like spurs; leg IV longest and thickest	Absence of ventral anal plate; elongated-triangular adanal plates; narrow accessory adanal plates	Spatulate with straight broad “handle”, near the dorsal margin
R. turanicus	Female	Figure 9	Small body size; elongated-ovoid russet-brown dorsum; rhomboid russet-brown scutum	Hexagonal with prominent basal angles	Coxa I external spur < internal spur; coxae II–IV small denticle-like spurs	⋆Caudal appendage is broad.	Comma-shaped with short weakly developed dorsal projection
D. marginatus	Male	Figure 10	⋆Medium-sized; pyriform dorsum; discontinuous porcelaneous enamel patches on lateral scutum	Sub-rectangular with a shallowly concave posterior margin	Robust legs; coxa I external spur < internal spur; coxae II–IV distinct short spurs; coxa IV markedly enlarged	⋆Ventral abdomen lacks chitinous plates	Comma-shaped (large) with short weakly developed dorsal projection
D. marginatus	Female	Figure 11	⋆Medium-sized; ovoid dorsum; cordate scutum with porcelaneous enamel patches and scapular apices	Sub-rectangular, twice as wide as long	Stout legs; coxa I external spur < internal spur; coxae II–IV narrow denticle-like spurs; broad discoid callosity at coxal-trochanter	–	Comma-shaped (large) with short weakly developed dorsal projection

⋆ = species-specific diagnostic characteristics.