A record of tick nymphs parasitizing a Taiwanese rat snake (Orthriophis taeniurus friesi) and a Chinese cobra (Naja atra) from West-Central Taiwan

Abstract

On the 7th of October, 2007, a juvenile female Orthriophis taeniurus friesi was caught in a restaurant near Lan-tan Reservoir, in the northern district of Chiayi City, Taiwan, andon the 21st of May, 2009, at ca.11:00, a sub-adult female Naja atra was caught outside an orchidgreenhouse in Jinghe Village, Shueishang District, Chiayi County, Taiwan. Inspection of the snakes revealed that they were being parasitized by tick nymphs. Our report constitutes the first description of tick parasitism of Naja atra in Taiwan and highlights the need for further studies of ticks from this area.