Unintentional transport of ticks into Taiwan on a king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)

Abstract

In April 2007, an adult king cobra, Ophiophagus hannah, was exported from Malaysia to Taiwan. While the snake was in quarantine, six ticks were collected from the floor of its cage: Amblyomma cordiferum (one female), and Aponomma varanense (two males and three females). This appears to be the first report of the accidental transportation of ticks into Taiwan on imported reptiles.