Rodents and their ectoparasites in Wadi Hanifah, Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia.

A survey was conducted on commercial and wild rodents from different locations in Wadi Hanifah in Riyadh. Six species of rodents were collected with wire net traps baited with fresh cucumber or fatty cheese. The trapped rodents in descending order of numbers were Rattus rattus rattus, Acomys dimidiatus, Meriones libycus, R. r. frugivorus, R. r. alexandrinus and Mus musculus. The ectoparasites were a flea, Xenopsyllus sp. on R. r. frugivorus and a tick, Rhipicephalus turanicus on each of A. dimidiatus and R. r. alexandrinus. In general, rodents and ectoparasites were low in Wadi Hanifah, probably due to the severe hot and very dry weather mainly in the summer season.