First Report of Gynandromorphism in Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) in El Salvador.

PURPOSE: Gynandromorphism is a developmental anomaly characterized by the simultaneous presence of male and female sexual morphological traits within the same individual. This study documents a case of gynandromorphism in the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus(Canestrini 1888) in El Salvador.

METHODS

The specimen was collected from a bovine belonging to the Experimental and Practical Station of the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of the University of El Salvador, located in the municipality of San Luis Talpa, Department of La Paz.

RESULTS

The reported gynandromorph of R. microplus exhibits bilateral gynandromorphism, displaying primarily female characteristics on the left side and male characteristics on the right.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of a tick with gynandromorphism in El Salvador. Further studies are warranted to understand the implications of such anomalies and their veterinary and public health relevance.