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ARS Home » Plains Area » Kerrville, Texas » Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory » Cattle Fever Tick Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #376882
Research Project: Integrated Pest Management of Cattle Fever Ticks

Location: Cattle Fever Tick Research Unit

Title: Potential distribution of Amblyomma mixtum (Koch, 1844) in climate change scenarios in America

Author
item AGUILAR-DOMINGUEZ, MARIEL - University Of Veracruzana
item MOO-LLANES, DAVID - University Of Veracruz
item SANCHEZ-MONTES, SOKANI - University Of Veracruz
item BECKER, INGEBORG - Universidad Nacional Autonoma De Mexico
item FERIA-ARROYO, TERESA - University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley
item Perez De Leon, Adalberto - Beto
item ROMERO-SALAS, DORA - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)

Submitted to: Ticks and Tick Borne Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/28/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The tick scientifically known as Amblyomma mixtum can be found from south Texas to western Ecuador. This tick species is of public health and veterinary importance because it transmits disease-causing agents that affect humans and domestic animals. In this study we explored how climate variability scenarios could change the home range of A. mixtum. Projections indicated a wide distribution of A. mixtum with higher probability of occurrence along the Gulf of Mexico. The models predicted a decreased presence along the Pacific coast, in Central America, and the northern part of South America. Predicted areas of range expansion included portions of the border of Mexico with Guatemala and Belize, some regions of Central America, and Colombia. These findings are discussed in the context of measures to control A. mixtum and manage risk for the associated diseases in areas where suitable habitat could develop in the future.

Technical Abstract: Amblyomma mixtum is a Neotropical generalist tick of medical and veterinary importance which is widely distributed from United States of America (U.S) to Ecuador. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the projection geographic of the ecological niche models (ENM) of A. mixtum in climate change scenarios in America. We constructed a database of published scientific publications scientific, personal collections, personal communications and online databases. ENM was done with 15 climatic layers using kuenm in R and was projected to three time periods (LGM, Current and 2050) for America. Our model indicated a wide distribution for A. mixtum, with higher probability of occurrence along the Gulf of Mexico, and in a less proportion of the pacific states, Central America, and the northern part of South America. The areas of new invasion are located mainly on the border of Mexico with Guatemala and Belize, some regions of Central America and Colombia. We conclude that the ENM are effective tools to infer the potential distribution of A. mixtum in America, in addition to helping to propose future measures of epidemiological control and surveillance in the new potential areas of invasion.