Three-host-tick
Guides
Amblyomma americanum
Lone Star Tick, Northeastern Water Tick, Turkey Tick, Cricker Tick
Amblyomma americanum is a three-host hard tick native to eastern North America, notable for its aggressive host-seeking behavior and expanding geographic range. Adult females are distinguished by a silvery-white star-shaped spot on the scutum, while males display white streaks or spots at the shield margins. The species is the primary vector of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii, and its bite can induce alpha-gal syndrome—a delayed allergic reaction to mammalian meat. Unlike many ticks, A. americanum exhibits active horizontal movement rather than passive questing, traveling up to 9 meters in 24 hours in field conditions.
Amblyomma dissimile
Iguana Tick
Amblyomma dissimile is a hard tick (Ixodidae) with an exceptionally broad host range spanning amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds across the Neotropics. It is commonly known as the Iguana Tick due to frequent associations with iguanid lizards. The species exhibits a three-host life cycle and has been documented to reproduce parthenogenetically. Its distribution extends from the southern United States through Central America and South America to northern Argentina, with highest environmental suitability in the Amazon and Pantanal biomes.
Dermacentor andersoni
Rocky Mountain wood tick
Dermacentor andersoni, the Rocky Mountain wood tick, is a three-host hard tick found in the Rocky Mountain region of western North America. It is a medically significant vector, primarily transmitting Colorado tick fever virus, with secondary potential for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. Unlike larvae and nymphs, which feed on small mammals, adults will feed on humans. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in coloration and size, with engorged females reaching nearly three times their unfed size.
Haemaphysalis leporispalustris
rabbit tick, grouse tick
Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, commonly known as the rabbit tick, is a hard tick (family Ixodidae) with one of the widest distributions of any New World tick species, ranging from Alaska to Argentina. It is a three-host tick specialized on lagomorph hosts (rabbits and hares), with larvae also frequently found on ground-dwelling birds. Despite rarely feeding on humans, it serves as a vector for several pathogens affecting wildlife and domestic animals, including Rickettsia rickettsii, Coxiella burnetii, and Francisella tularensis. A newly recognized human pathogen, Rickettsia lanei, has been associated with this tick species.
Haemaphysalis longicornis
Asian longhorned tick, longhorned tick, bush tick, cattle tick, Asian tick
Haemaphysalis longicornis is an invasive three-host tick native to temperate East Asia that has established populations in Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and the United States. First detected in New Jersey in 2017, it has since spread to at least 19 U.S. states. The species exhibits facultative parthenogenesis, with all-female populations documented in northern Japan, Russia, and the U.S. It is a significant veterinary pest of livestock, particularly cattle, and has been shown to transmit multiple pathogens to animals. While associated with various human tick-borne diseases in its native range, human pathogen transmission has not been confirmed in North America.
Ixodes affinis
Ixodes affinis is a hard-bodied tick species distributed across the southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Unlike its congener Ixodes scapularis, this species does not bite humans but serves as a competent vector for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Immature stages feed on birds and small mammals, while adults parasitize larger mammals including deer and dogs. Its expanding range into southeastern Virginia and association with migratory birds has raised concerns about its role in pathogen dispersal.
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