Current and future ecological niche of Dermacentor similis Lado (Acari: Ixodidae) in western North America.

ABSTRACT: Dermacentor similis Lado (Acari: Ixodidae) is a newly described tick species within western North America. These ticks were previously referred to as "western Dermacentor variabilis (Say)" and were genetically distinct from D. variabilis in eastern North America. Despite the known genetic differences, the ecology of this species was not investigated separately from eastern populations of D. variabilis. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to describe the current and future areas of ecological suitability of D. similis in western North America, and to determine the bioclimatic and environmental variables of importance for ecological suitability of this species. Twenty-nine confirmed samples of D. similis from the western United States (California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho) and Cana

SUBMITTER: Nichol GK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12507434 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature