The dog mummy, the ticks and the louse fly: Archaeological report of severe ectoparasitosis in Ancient Egypt

• The first archaeological case of dog ectoparasitosis in Ancient Egypt is presented.
• Two blood sucking ectoparasites were recovered from a mummified Roman dog.
• The brown dog tick and the louse fly are potential vectors of several pathogens.

The authors report the first archaeological case of dog ectoparasitosis in Ancient Egypt. The study of a mummified young dog dated to the Roman period suggests a significant infestation by two blood sucking ectoparasites, respectively the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille, 1806 (Acari: Ixodidae), the louse fly Hippobosca longipennis Fabricius, 1805 (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) as well as puparia of sarcosaprophagous flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae and Calliphoridae), a potential source of myiasis. All of these species are known to be potential vectors of different pathogens which may be responsible for the premature death of the dog.

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