| Abstrakt: |
The hard tick, Ixodes keiransiBeati, Nava, Venzal, & Guglielmone, formerly the North American lineage of Ixodes affinisNeumann, is expanding its range northward along the US East Coast. In July 2023, we collected I. keiransiadult female and nymph in a single sampling event, suggesting its range now includes southern New Jersey. In this area, I. keiransiis sympatric with northern populations of Ixodes scapularisSay (Acari: Ixodidae), the primary vector of Lyme disease. Given its status as an enzootic vector of spirochaetes in the Borrelia burgdorferisensu lato complex, proper differentiation of these 2 species will be critical for accurate estimates of entomological risk. Targeted surveillance should be implemented to monitor further I. keiransiexpansion and to elucidate the phenology and enzootic role of this and other understudied Ixodesspp. in the northeastern United States. |
