First record and molecular detection of Ornithodoros maritimus Vermeil & Marguet, 1967 in Türkiye with notes on other tick species collected on the Gull Island, Sinop.

Abstract

Ticks play an important role in the ecology of zoonotic diseases, however their diversity and host associations in insular ecosystems remain insufficiently documented in Türkiye. We investigated tick occurrence on yellow-legged Gulls (Larus michahellis) and within their nesting environment on Gull Island (Sinop, Türkiye) between March and June 2025. A total of 574 gull chicks and 833 nests were examined, yielding eight tick specimens. Morphological examination and molecular analyses revealed three noteworthy observations: (i) the detection of an adult Ixodes ricinus female attached to a yellow-legged gull chick, representing a rare avian host record, (ii) the presence of a questing male Hyalomma marginatum on the island floor, and (iii) the first record of Ornithodoros maritimus in Türkiye, confirmed by mitochondrial 16 S rRNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The findings suggest that small insular habitats can be intermittently colonized by tick species of medical relevance, likely through host-mediated dispersal, while also highlighting ecological constraints that may limit long-term population establishment. These observations contribute to the faunistic knowledge of ticks in Türkiye and underscore the need for targeted surveillance of seabird-associated soft ticks along coastal ecosystems.