Tick (Acarina: Ixodidae) Species and Life Stages Collected from Arkansas Wild Pigs

Abstract

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa L.; Artiodactyla: Suidae) are found in every Arkansas county and are spreading throughout the southeastern USA. This is a public and animal health concern because wild pigs occupy the same geographical areas as humans and livestock, and can harbor over 45 animal pathogens and parasites. Little research has been conducted on the tick species parasitizing Arkansas wild pigs. Tick collections for this study were taken from feral S. scrofa trapped for control purposes by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, and University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service personnel. Between Feb 2019 and Jan 2020, over 3,110 ticks were collected from 220 hogs from 11 Arkansas counties. Four tick species (Acarina: Ixodidae) were collected: Amblyomma americanum (L.) (95.4%; n = 2,966), Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (2.4%; n = 76), Amblyomma maculatum (Koch) (0.6%; n = 18), and Ixodes scapularis (L.) (0.3%; n = 9). Amblyomma americanum was collected from Jan to Nov 2019, and was the only species found in immature life stages. Dermacentor variabilis was collected from Apr 2019 to Oct 2019. Amblyomma maculatum was collected at 1 site in May 2019, and I. scapularis was collected at 1 site in Nov 2019.