PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 98(1), 1996, pp. 164-165 Note Amblyomma quadricavum (Schulze) (new combination), and Amblyomma arianae Keirans and Garris, a new junior synonym of Amblyomma quadricavum (Acari: Ixodidae) Aponomma quadricavum was described by Schulze (1941, Zoologischer Anzeiger 133: 227) based on a female collected from Epicrates striatus in Haiti, July 1936, P. Thumb leg. In the title of the paper, Schulze stated that the new Aponomma had rem-nants of eyes. Later (pg. 227), he went on to state (translation), "Two narrow, oval, lighter spots near the lateral margin certain-ly represent remnants of eyes." Despite this, Schulze thought the tick belonged in the genus Aponomma because of the small size of the body, the breadth of the scutum and the shortness of the legs. He admitted (pg. 228) that "Whoever wishes to place the species in Amblyomma, may safely do so. . . ." Santos Dias (1958a, Memorias e Estu-dos do Museu Zoologico da Universidade de Coimbra (250): 15p; 1958b, Memorias e Estudos do Museu Zoologico da Univ-ersidade de Coimbra (253): 32p.) exam-ined 2 females (although Schulze only mentioned a holotype female) of the type material in the Hamburg Museum and con-sidered them to be true specimens of Apon-omma quadricavum. Santos Dias (1993, Estudos, Ensaios e Documentos (157): 204p.) continued to hold that view in his recent revision of the genus Aponomma. Cerny (1966, Poeyana Series A (26): lOp.) agreed with Santos Dias and described the male of Aponomma quadricavum. How-ever, Morel (1967, Acarologia 9: 341-352) was of the opinion that the species might actually be Amblyomma albopictum. Kauf-man (1972, A revision of the genus Apon-omma Neumann, 1899 (Acarina: Ixodi-dae). Unpubl. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Maryland. 389p.) listed it as an uncertain species of Aponomma, and Anderson et al. (1981, Journal of Medical Entomology 18: 123-125), considered it to be a yalid Apon-omma species and described the larva of A. quadricavum. We have examined the holotype of Apon-omma quadricavum and three additional collections (total = 7 females, 4 larvae) in the U.S. National Tick Collection (RML 101848, 105559, 112143) and conclude that these ticks are not a species of Aponomma, but belong in the genus Amblyomma. Thus, Aponomma quadricavum Schulze, 1941 = Amblyomma quadricavum (Schulze 1941) new combination. We also conclude that Amblyomma ari-anae Keirans and Garris, 1986 (J. Med. En-tomol. 23: 622), types of which are in the U.S. National Tick Collection (RML 115846, 116106, 117471), should be rele-gated to a junior subjective synonym of Amblyomma quadricavum (Schulze 1941) new synonymy. Amblyomma quadricavum is known from the islands of Haiti, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica (RML 101848, unpubl.) and has been reported from the colubrid snake spe-cies, Alsophis cantherigerus and A. porto-ricensis, and the boid species, Epicrates an-gulifer, E. striatus, and E. subfavis (RML 101848, unpubl.). As mentioned in the original description of its junior synonym, Amblyomma ari-anae, Amblyomma quadricavum is unlike most New World snake-feeding Amblyom-ma species which are large, brightly orna-mented ticks with rectangular basis capituli, well developed eyes, and two spurs on cox-ae II— IV. Amblyomma quadricavum is a small Aponomma-like tick, with no orna-mentation, poorly developed eyes, a sub-triangular capitulum, and a single spur on
Amblyomma Quadricavum (Schulze) (New Combination), And Amblyomma Arianae Keirans And Garris, A New Junior Synonym Of Amblyomma Quadricavum (Acari: Ixodidae)
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