Oliver J H, Hayes M P, Keirans J E, Lavender D R
Institute of Arthropodology & Parasitology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro 30460.
J Parasitol. 1993 Oct;79(5):786-90.
The parthenogenetic tick Amblyomma rotundatum, a Central and South American species, has become established in southern Florida. The date of introduction is unknown, but it is suspected to be either during the 1930s, when 1 of its natural hosts, the giant or marine toad, Bufo marinus, was introduced to southern Florida as a potential biological control of pest beetles in sugar cane fields, or between 1955 and 1964 when specimens of B. marinus were accidentally or deliberately released in the greater Miami area. Several museum specimens of this toad collected in the Miami area 25 April 1979 had nymphal and adult A. rotundatum attached. Subsequent examination of living giant toads collected at another Miami area site from 1983 through 1985 revealed larval, nymphal, and adult A. rotundatum and confirmed colonization of this tick. Under laboratory conditions, another neotropical amphibian and reptile tick, Amblyomma dissimile, is capable of transmitting Cowdria ruminantium, the causative agent of heartwater, a disease present in the Caribbean area. Therefore, we suggest that A. rotundatum should also be tested for vectorial competence.
孤雌生殖的蜱虫圆盾硬蜱是一种分布于中美洲和南美洲的物种，现已在佛罗里达州南部定殖。引入时间不详，但怀疑是在20世纪30年代，当时其天然宿主之一、巨型或海蟾蜍（Bufo marinus）被引入佛罗里达州南部，作为甘蔗田害虫甲虫的潜在生物防治手段；或者是在1955年至1964年间，当时海蟾蜍标本意外或被故意释放到迈阿密大区。1979年4月25日在迈阿密地区采集的几只这种蟾蜍的博物馆标本上附着有圆盾硬蜱的若虫和成虫。随后对1983年至1985年在迈阿密地区另一个地点采集的活体巨型蟾蜍进行检查，发现了圆盾硬蜱的幼虫、若虫和成虫，并证实了这种蜱虫的定殖。在实验室条件下，另一种新热带地区的两栖动物和爬行动物蜱虫——异形硬蜱（Amblyomma dissimile）能够传播反刍兽考德里氏体（Cowdria ruminantium），即心水病的病原体，该病在加勒比地区存在。因此，我们建议也应对圆盾硬蜱的传病能力进行检测。
