Otobius lagophilus

Distribution

This argasid occurs in the United States in CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, and WY; in Canada, it occurs in southern AB; in Mexico, it occurs in Chihuahua and Coahuila. It is rarely encountered in CO. Like its close relative, Otobius megnini, this is a one-host tick, and adults do not feed. It differs from O. megnini in hosts and anatomical sites infested, i.e., mostly on all parts of the host’s head and neck other than the ear canal.

Hosts

Hosts for Otobius lagophilus are lagomorphs, primarily jackrabbits and pikas.

Vector Status

A spotted fever group rickettsia and the agents of tularemia and Colorado tick fever and have been detected in O. lagophilus.

Resources

H Joel Hutcheson, James W Mertins, Boris C Kondratieff, Monica M White, Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases of Colorado, Including New State Records for Argas radiatus (Ixodida: Argasidae) and Ixodes brunneus (Ixodida: Ixodidae), Journal of Medical Entomology, tjaa232, https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa232