Abstract
Haemaphysalis
ticks are globally distributed with the greatest diversity in the Oriental region. This study aimed to primarily provide information on the morphology, host record, and preliminary phylogenetic position of a poorly known tick
Haemaphysalis danieli
. Herds comprised of goats and sheep were examined for this tick species in Upper Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 127 ticks, including males (n = 15, 11.8%) and females (n = 112, 88.2%), were collected, and morphologically identified as
H. danieli
. The morphological identification was confirmed through the 16S rDNA and
cytochrome c oxidase
(
cox1
) sequences. Phylogenetic analysis inferred based on 16S rDNA and
cox1
showed a close evolutionary relationship of
H. danieli
with a conspecific from China and an undetermined
Haemaphysalis
sp. from China and Anatolia. A total of 32/223 (14.3%) goats in two different herds were the only host infested by
H. danieli
. The earliest study provided the morphological description of
H. danieli
male, host record, and phylogenetic position. The information provided herein could assist in minimizing the knowledge gap regarding the systematic and taxonomy of
Haemaphysalis
species.