Global InformationDermacentor albipictus information
| Winter tick | |
|---|---|
| |
| Larva of winter tick | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia
|
| Phylum: | Arthropoda
|
| Class: | Arachnida
|
| Subclass: | Acari
|
| Order: | Ixodida
|
| Family: | Ixodidae
|
| Genus: | Dermacentor
|
| Species: | D. albipictus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Dermacentor albipictus (Packard, 1869)
| |
Dermacentor albipictus, the winter tick, is a species of hard tick that parasitizes many different mammal species in North America. It is commonly associated with cervid species such as elk (Cervus canadensis), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (O. hemionus) and caribou (Rangifer tarandus) but is primarily known as a serious pest of moose (Alces alces).[1][2] As early as 1909, Ernest Thompson Seton described the winter tick as a greater enemy of the moose than were "wolves, bears, and cougars." [3]
The tick can be found all across North America, and has a large geographic distribution. While it can be found in several different habitats, it is often located in areas with a presence of moose.[4]
Some evidence indicates that increasing populations of the winter tick may be responsible for a steep decline in the eastern moose population throughout the southern half of their range.[5] In recent years, heavy infestations up to 75,000 ticks[6] have been seen on single moose, and can lead to the death of the animal.[7]
- ^ "The Ecology of Dermacentor albipictus".
- ^ "A Handbook to the Ticks of Canada" (PDF).
- ^ Addison, Edward M (January 1, 2007). "White as a Ghost, Winter Ticks and Moose". Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 43 (1): 150–151. doi:10.7589/0090-3558-43.1.150.
Our understanding of winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus) and moose (Alces alces) is largely a 20th century story beginning when Seton (1909) described winter ticks as a greater "enemy" of moose than were wolves, bears, and cougars. Until 1980, field observations comprised the literature on winter ticks and moose. In the last two decades of the century, Bill Samuel, along with colleagues in Alberta and others, examined the relationship between winter ticks and moose using thorough experimental and field studies.
- ^ "Tick Species of Maine - Winter Tick or Moose Tick".
- ^ Hari Sreenivasan (2014-04-07). "What's devastating the wild moose population in New England?". PBS Newshour. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
- ^ Dell'Amore, Christine (2015-06-01). "What's a Ghost Moose? How Ticks Are Killing an Iconic Animal". National Geographic News. Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
The reason is likely climate change, biologists say, which is ushering in shorter, warmer winters that are boosting the fortunes of winter ticks. The tiny creatures latch on to moose here in staggering numbers: One moose can house 75,000 ticks, which are helping to drive a troubling rise in moose deaths, especially among calves.
- ^ Samuel, Bill (2004). White as a Ghost: Winter Ticks & Moose. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. ISBN 978-0969613466.