Morphological keys for the separation of the Rhipicephalus sanguineus group of ticks (Acarina:Ixodidae) in Egypt.

Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu stricto is the taxonomic baseline for the R. sanguineus group of ticks which consists of four species in Egypt. Because of the potential confusion in the differentiation of species within the group, particularly in the Middle East, there is an urgent need for the development of new diagnostic keys. Keys, based on morphological characters, are provided herein for the various stages of R. sanguineus ticks in Egypt. An additional plan provides a useful tool for distinguishing most field collected specimens.