Amblyomma maculatum (Gulf Coast tick)

Amblyomma maculatum or Gulf Coast tick (GCT) is a three-host tick of medical and veterinary importance. Development is temperature dependent, so phenology varies by geographic region. GCTs thrive in open habitats and tolerate xeric environments due to their low net transpiration rate. GCTs were historically found from Texas to South Carolina in the USA, with reports mostly in coastal regions, and parts of Central and South America. However, established populations have existed in Oklahoma since the 1960s and have recently been reported in the Northeast and Midwest USA. This range expansion is likely driven by interactions between wildlife populations impacting tick distribution like birds and deer, and abiotic factors like climate impacting habitat suitability via temperature or humidity, but the process is not well understood. GCTs parasitize a wide range of animals; immatures blood feed primarily on birds and small mammals while adults focus on larger mammals, including humans.