Cayenne tick

Definition

A large, ornate hard tick (family Ixodidae) distributed from the southern United States through Central America, the Caribbean, and northern Argentina. The species occupies diverse habitats from dry scrub to tropical forest and is a significant vector of veterinary and human pathogens, including *Rickettsia rickettsii* (Rocky Mountain spotted fever) and *Theileria* spp. in livestock. Adults parasitize large mammals including horses, cattle, and humans; immature stages feed on smaller mammals and birds.

Etymology

From Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana, within the species' broad Neotropical range

Example

In Brazil, Cayenne ticks transmit Brazilian spotted fever to humans through infected saliva during prolonged blood-feeding; control relies on acaricide treatment of horses, the preferred host of adult ticks in peri-urban settings.

Synonyms

• Amblyomma cajennense

Related Terms

• hard tick
• Amblyomma
• Vector
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• acaricide
• Neotropical

Usage Notes

The species complex *Amblyomma cajennense* sensu lato has undergone taxonomic revision; populations north and south of the Amazon basin are now recognized as distinct cryptic species (*A. cajennense* sensu stricto and *A. sculptum*), though field biologists and veterinary sources often still use 'Cayenne tick' broadly.