County Scale Distribution of Amblyomma americanum (Ixodida: Ixodidae) in Oklahoma: Addressing Local Deficits in Tick Maps Based on Passive Reporting.
Geographic distribution records for the lone star tick [Amblyomma americanum (L.)] in the peer-reviewed literature are incomplete for Oklahoma, preventing accurate disease risk assessments. To address this issue and document the presence of A. americanum in available habitats throughout the state, county-scale tick records published in U.S. Department of Agriculture-Cooperative Economic Insect Reports and specimens maintained at the K.C. Emerson Entomology Museum, Oklahoma State University, were reviewed. In addition, dry ice traps and tick drags were used to collect adult and nymphal A. americanum from throughout the state. Review of published USDA reports and the local museum collection documented A. americanum in 49 total counties (35 and 35, respectively). Active surveillance efforts confirmed the presence of this tick in 50 counties from which this species had not been previously reported to be established, documenting A. americanum is established in 68 of the 77 (88.3%) counties in Oklahoma. Taken together, these data verify that A. americanum ticks are much more widespread in Oklahoma than reflected in the literature, a phenomenon likely repeated throughout the geographic range of this tick in the eastern half of North America.
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078.
Anne W
AW
Barrett
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078.
Bruce H
BH
Noden
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078.
Jeff M
JM
Gruntmeir
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078.
Taylor
T
Holland
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078.
Jessica R
JR
Mitcham
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078.
Jaclyn E
JE
Martin
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078.
Eileen M
EM
Johnson
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078 Susan.little@okstate.edu.
Susan E
SE
Little
D000818:Animals; D003710:Demography; D026863:Ixodidae; D009825:Oklahoma
Amblyomma americanum; active surveillance; geographic distribution; lone star tick