Studies on Theileriidae (Sporozoa) in Tanzania. III. Experiments on the transmission of Theileria mutans by Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Amblyomma variegatum (Acarina, Ixodidae).

The parasite considered to be Theileria mutans in East Africa could not be transmitted transstadially by Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (seven attempts); it was transmitted by Amblyomma variegatum in 6 out of 7 experiments. The possibility that the original South African T. mutans, transmissible by R. appendiculatus, and the parasite called T. mutans in East Africa, are different species, has to be considered.