New Records of Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) From Dogs, Cats, Humans, and Some Wild Vertebrates in Alaska: Invasion Potential

Abstract

During 2010-2016, tick specimens were solicited from veterinarians, biologists, and members of the public in Alaska. Eight species of ticks were recorded from domestic dogs. Some ticks were collected from dogs with recent travel histories to other countries or other U.S. states, which appears to explain records of ticks not native to Alaska such as Amblyomma americanum (L.) (lone star tick), Ixodes scapularis (Say) (blacklegged tick), and Ixodes ricinus (L.). However, we recorded Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (American dog tick) from dogs (and humans) both with and without travel history, suggesting that this nonindigenous tick could be establishing populations in Alaska. Other ticks commonly recorded from dogs included the indigenous Ixodes angustus Neumann and the invasive Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (brown dog tick). Domestic cats were only parasitized by one tick species, the native I. angustus Six species of ticks were recorded from humans: A. americanum (with and without travel history), Dermacentor andersoni Stiles (Rocky Mountain wood tick; travel associated), D. variabilis (with and without travel history), Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (Packard) (rabbit tick, native to Alaska), I. angustus, and R. sanguineus. Ixodes angustus predominated among tick collections from native mammals. Also, Ixodes texanus Banks (first record from Alaska) was collected from an American marten, Martes americana (Turton), H. leporispalustris was recorded from a snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus Erxleben, and Ixodes auritulus Neumann was collected from a Northwestern crow, Corvus caurinus Baird. The establishment of D. variabilis, D. andersoni, A. americanum, and/or I. scapularis in Alaska would have strong implications for animal and human health.

Keywords: Alaska; medical-veterinary importance; new records; ticks.