Profil de l'espèce

Cayenne tick

Amblyomma mixtum

A member of the Amblyomma cajennense species complex occurring from southern North America through Central America into northern South America.

Amblyomma mixtum male and female nymphs and adult female specimens in dorsal and ventral views
Taxonomic identification figure showing male and female nymphs and an adult female Amblyomma mixtum in dorsal and ventral views.

Crédit image:Rodríguez-Durán et al.; CC BY 4.0; source Wild 2025, Figure 3 Conditions de licence — S’ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre.Source — S’ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre.

Galerie d'images

Faits rapides

A member of the Amblyomma cajennense species complex occurring from southern North America through Central America into northern South America.

Uses livestock, horses, wildlife and other mammals as hosts and can be important where animals and people share tick habitat.

Recorded from Mexico through Central America and into northern South America. Records published under the older broad Amblyomma cajennense concept require taxonomic review.

Identification

Species-level confirmation should use authoritative morphological keys and, where necessary, expert or molecular examination. Photographs, host and location alone may be insufficient.

Identification requires the complete combination of family, genus and species-level morphological characters.

Use authoritative comparative keys; do not rely on colour, size, host or geography as a single diagnostic feature.

Photographs alone cannot always confirm this species.

Différences sexuelles et d'apparence

Adult males and females differ in dorsal shield coverage, body proportions and feeding-related expansion; confirm stage and sex with an appropriate species key.

Cycle de vie

Egg, larva, nymph and adult stages are present; host-use pattern is species-specific.

Étapes de la vie

  • Egg
  • Larva
  • Nymph
  • Adult

Activité saisonnière

Seasonal activity varies geographically and should be interpreted from local surveillance.

Répartition

Recorded from Mexico through Central America and into northern South America. Records published under the older broad Amblyomma cajennense concept require taxonomic review.

La présence, les populations établies, la qualité de l'habitat et le risque de maladie sont des catégories de preuves distinctes.

Pays et régions

  • Texas — established_widespread

    In a Texas study of 1,625 ticks removed from people and submitted during 2014–2021, Amblyomma mixtum represented 3.4% of submitted ticks. Submission frequency reflects human–tick interactions in the study dataset, not complete statewide abundance.

Pertinence médicale et vétérinaire

Human biting is documented. It is associated with spotted-fever-group rickettsiae, but organism detection, proven transmission and regional disease risk are distinct evidence categories.

Uses livestock, horses, wildlife and other mammals as hosts and can be important where animals and people share tick habitat.

Preuves vectorielles et pathogènes

Human biting is documented. It is associated with spotted-fever-group rickettsiae, but organism detection, proven transmission and regional disease risk are distinct evidence categories.

Importance médicale

Human-health relevance is stated only where governed evidence supports human biting or transmission; otherwise no human-vector claim is made.

Importance vétérinaire

Livestock and horses in endemic areas may support adult ticks, so animal inspection and locally appropriate veterinary control help reduce infestation and human exposure.

Conseils pour la prévention et l'élimination

Use habitat-appropriate tick avoidance, animal inspection and veterinary-led control.

Remove attached ticks promptly using evidence-based guidance and seek medical or veterinary advice when indicated.

Informations importantes d'identification et de santé

Informations pédagogiques et limitations

Les photographies et les caractéristiques visibles peuvent ne pas suffire pour une identification définitive.

Ces informations pédagogiques ne constituent pas un diagnostic et ne remplacent en aucun cas un avis médical ou vétérinaire.

Ces informations pédagogiques ne remplacent en aucun cas un examen ou les conseils d'un professionnel vétérinaire qualifié.

La présence, les populations établies, la qualité de l'habitat et le risque de maladie sont des catégories de preuves distinctes.