First Records of Ixodes ventalloi and Ixodes frontalis on Vegetation in Tunisia: Bird-Mediated Dispersal Scenario?

Ticks of the genus Ixodes are known vectors of various pathogens, and their distribution is often influenced by numerous biotic and abiotic factors defining their ecological niche that are different among species. This study aims to investigate the presence and genetic diversity of Ixodes species in a Mediterranean forested area of Tunisia. Using the flagging method, a total of 133 Ixodes ticks were collected from vegetation in the artificial forest of Dar Chichou, a stopover site for migratory birds on the Cap Bon Peninsula. Morphological and molecular analyses of the specimens identified two species: I. ventalloi (n = 122) and I. frontalis (n = 11). Genetic analysis of 49 randomly selected I. ventalloi specimens and the 11 I. frontalis specimens revealed phylogenetic relationships with Southwestern and Central European populations. These findings suggest that the presence of these two Ixodes taxa in this biotope could be the result of bird-mediated dispersal during short and long-distance migrations. They also point to the potential role played by migratory birds in shaping the distribution and genetic structure of tick populations across different regions.