Range expansion of the Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum Koch

The Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum Koch (Acari: Ixodidae), is a three-host tick species of growing medical and veterinary importance. It is a known disease vector of Rickettsia parkeri, a rickettsial disease in humans, and Hepatozoon americanum, the causative agent of American canine hepatozoonosis. This Nearctic and Neotropical pest has a historical range along the Gulf Coast in the United States, but established populations have been recently reported as far north as Connecticut. We developed an ecological niche model to identify current and future areas with suitable climates for Gulf Coast tick across North America. Models were developed by linking occurrence data from the National Tick Collection with WorldClim bioclimatic variables. We hope understanding the potential range of this pest may aid in implementing integrated pest managements tactics in at-risk areas and enable researchers and public health entomologists to optimize disease surveillance.