Amblyomma triguttatum

Amblyomma triguttatum
Amblyomma triguttatum female
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Ixodida
Family:	Ixodidae
Genus:	Amblyomma
Species:	A. triguttatum
Binomial name
Amblyomma triguttatum Koch, 1844

Amblyomma triguttatum, commonly known as the ornate kangaroo tick, is a species of tick in the genus Amblyomma native to Australia, in Western Australia, parts of Queensland, and in New South Wales.

Subspecies

There are four subspecies, one or more of which might be separate species. ^[1] The subspecies include Am. t. ornatissimum , Am. t. queenslandensis, Am. t. rosei , and Am. t. triguttatum. ^[2]

The nominate subspecies is a vector for Rickettsia . ^[3]

Ecology

Like all species in its family, Ixodidae (known as hard ticks), the kangaroo tick is a parasitic arachnid and is an obligate hematophage, solely consuming blood for its nutritional needs. ^[4]

Life-cycle

The life cycle of Amblyomma triguttatum is characterised by a three-host pattern, with each developmental stage necessitating a host for a blood meal ^[5] . This obligate haematophagy is crucial for the tick's progression through its larval, nymphal, and adult stages. The process involves a recurring sequence of feeding, detachment, and moulting. Notably, adult male ticks deviate from this pattern, generally forgoing blood meals in favour of seeking reproductive opportunities with adult females. Conversely, female ticks typically engage in all three blood-feeding stages throughout their development.

Hosts

Thought to be a carrier of Q fever, in addition to parasitising macropods such as western grey kangaroos and Tammar wallabies, it has been found on a variety of other mammalian hosts, including black rats, European rabbits, domesticated dogs and cats, and humans. ^[6]

References

1. Alberto A. Guglielmone; Richard G. Robbins; Dmitry A. Apanaskevich; Trevor N. Petney; Agustín Estrada-Peña; Ivan G. Horak (2013). The Hard Ticks of the World: (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae). Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 510–11. ISBN   9789400774971.
2. Egan, Siobhon (2022). Ecology of ticks and microbes in Australian wildlife (Thesis). Murdoch University.
3. Li AY, Adams PJ, Abdad MY, Fenwick SG (2010). "High prevalence of Rickettsia gravesii sp. nov. in Amblyomma triguttatum collected from feral pigs". Vet. Microbiol. (Submitted manuscript). 146 (1–2): 59–62. doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2010.04.018. PMID   20488632.
4. "Life cycle of Hard Ticks that Spread Disease". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
5. Naidoo, Dean (2024). Exploring the Frontier of Tick-Borne Viruses: Metagenomic Insights into Amblyomma triguttatum in Western Australia (Thesis). Murdoch University.
6. Waudby, Helen P.; Petit, Sophie; Dixon, Bruce; Andrews, Ross H. (5 July 2007). "Hosts of the exotic ornate kangaroo tick, Amblyomma triguttatum triguttatum Koch, on southern Yorke Peninsula, South Australia". Parasitology Research. Vol. 101. pp. 1323–1330. doi:10.1007/s00436-007-0642-4. PMID   17611781.