Tick species used for analysis
H. longicornis, an obligate blood-feeding ixodid, has a three-host life cycle and the ability to parasitize a wide variety of native wildlife and livestock, including rodents, ungulates, lagomorphs, carnivores, and birds. Populations of H. longicornis may be bisexual or parthenogenetic, and both are present in its native range.
R. microplus is a type of hard tick (Ixodidae) that has a three-host lifecycle. This means that during each stage of its life cycle (larva, nymph, and adult), it parasitizes a different host. Adult ticks typically parasitize cattle and other large livestock, while larvae and nymphs may parasitize smaller mammals or wild animals.
D. silvarum is a species of hard tick (Ixodidae) commonly found in forested areas across East Asia, including China, Russia, and parts of Mongolia. It has a three-host lifecycle, meaning that it feeds on three different hosts throughout its developmental stages—larva, nymph, and adult. This tick primarily parasitizes a variety of mammals, including rodents, livestock, and occasionally humans.
I. persulcatus, commonly known as the taiga tick, is another species of hard tick found in the temperate and boreal forests of Eastern Europe and Asia. It also has a three-host lifecycle, feeding on different hosts at each stage of development. It typically parasitizes small mammals, birds, and larger mammals such as deer and humans, depending on the developmental stage.
R. sanguineus, commonly known as the brown dog tick, is a cosmopolitan species of hard tick that primarily feeds on dogs but can also parasitize other mammals, including humans. This tick is a known vector for several pathogens, including Rickettsia rickettsii, the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Ehrlichia canis, which causes canine ehrlichiosis.
H. asiaticum is a hard tick species that primarily inhabits arid and semi-arid regions in Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Eastern Europe. It has a two-host lifecycle, meaning it completes its developmental stages (larva and nymph) on one host and then switches to a second host for the adult stage. This species is known for its ability to travel long distances in search of a host, which increases its potential as a vector.