Multiple Introductions of the Asian Longhorned Tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) to the United States Revealed Using Mitogenomics

Zoe E. Narvaez; Andrea M. Egizi; Michael J. Yabsley; Alec T. Thompson; Mohamed Moustafa; Erika Alt; Matthew Bickerton; Kim Bjorgo; Rebecca A. Butler; Alexandra Cumbie; Gillian Eastwood; Richard C. Falco; Dina M. Fonseca; Jun Hang; Vanessa L. Harper; Nicole Lewis; Jan Lovy; Lauren P. Maestas; Thomas N. Mather; Ryo Nakao; James L. Occi; Tadhgh Rainey; Melanie Sal; Craig A. Stoops; Rebecca T. Trout-Fryxell; Wes Watson; Nicole E. Wagner; Aihua Zheng; Perot Saelao; Dana C. Price

doi:10.1002/ece3.71312

Multiple Introductions of the Asian Longhorned Tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) to the United States Revealed Using Mitogenomics

Zoe E. Narvaez, Andrea M. Egizi, Michael J. Yabsley, Alec T. Thompson, Mohamed Moustafa, Erika Alt, Matthew Bickerton, Kim Bjorgo, Rebecca A. Butler, Alexandra Cumbie, Gillian Eastwood, Richard C. Falco, Dina M. Fonseca, Jun Hang, Vanessa L. Harper, Nicole Lewis, Jan Lovy, Lauren P. Maestas, Thomas N. Mather, Ryo NakaoJames L. Occi, Tadhgh Rainey, Melanie Sal, Craig A. Stoops, Rebecca T. Trout-Fryxell, Wes Watson, Nicole E. Wagner, Aihua Zheng, Perot Saelao, Dana C. Price

School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Entomology

Rutgers, The State University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The Asian longhorned tick (ALT), Haemaphysalis longicornis, is a three-host hard tick native to East Asia. Its opportunistic feeding habits make it an acute agricultural and medical threat, capable of spreading various zoonotic pathogens. An affinity for livestock and companion animals has allowed parthenogenetic populations of ALT to travel to and establish in overseas locations including the United States. To better understand the population dynamics of this rapidly expanding species, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of specimens collected from native and invasive ranges and performed phylogeographic analyses. As well as illustrating the diversity of Australasian and US ALT haplotypes, these methods have allowed us to estimate the source and frequency of successful introductions to the US. We highlight four potential introductions of parthenogenetic ALT, with likely origin populations identified in the Republic of Korea and Japan. These findings provide insight into potential routes of entry for ALT and other invasive tick species.

Original language	American English
Article number	e71312
Journal	Ecology and Evolution
Volume	15
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71312
State	Published - Apr 2025

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Ecology
Nature and Landscape Conservation

Keywords

Asian longhorned tick
invasive species
livestock pest
mitogenome
population genetics

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10.1002/ece3.71312

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Narvaez, Z. E., Egizi, A. M., Yabsley, M. J., Thompson, A. T., Moustafa, M., Alt, E., Bickerton, M., Bjorgo, K., Butler, R. A., Cumbie, A., Eastwood, G., Falco, R. C., Fonseca, D. M., Hang, J., Harper, V. L., Lewis, N., Lovy, J., Maestas, L. P., Mather, T. N., ... Price, D. C. (2025). Multiple Introductions of the Asian Longhorned Tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) to the United States Revealed Using Mitogenomics. Ecology and Evolution, 15(4), Article e71312. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71312

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title = "Multiple Introductions of the Asian Longhorned Tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) to the United States Revealed Using Mitogenomics",

abstract = "The Asian longhorned tick (ALT), Haemaphysalis longicornis, is a three-host hard tick native to East Asia. Its opportunistic feeding habits make it an acute agricultural and medical threat, capable of spreading various zoonotic pathogens. An affinity for livestock and companion animals has allowed parthenogenetic populations of ALT to travel to and establish in overseas locations including the United States. To better understand the population dynamics of this rapidly expanding species, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of specimens collected from native and invasive ranges and performed phylogeographic analyses. As well as illustrating the diversity of Australasian and US ALT haplotypes, these methods have allowed us to estimate the source and frequency of successful introductions to the US. We highlight four potential introductions of parthenogenetic ALT, with likely origin populations identified in the Republic of Korea and Japan. These findings provide insight into potential routes of entry for ALT and other invasive tick species.",

keywords = "Asian longhorned tick, invasive species, livestock pest, mitogenome, population genetics",

author = "Narvaez, {Zoe E.} and Egizi, {Andrea M.} and Yabsley, {Michael J.} and Thompson, {Alec T.} and Mohamed Moustafa and Erika Alt and Matthew Bickerton and Kim Bjorgo and Butler, {Rebecca A.} and Alexandra Cumbie and Gillian Eastwood and Falco, {Richard C.} and Fonseca, {Dina M.} and Jun Hang and Harper, {Vanessa L.} and Nicole Lewis and Jan Lovy and Maestas, {Lauren P.} and Mather, {Thomas N.} and Ryo Nakao and Occi, {James L.} and Tadhgh Rainey and Melanie Sal and Stoops, {Craig A.} and Trout-Fryxell, {Rebecca T.} and Wes Watson and Wagner, {Nicole E.} and Aihua Zheng and Perot Saelao and Price, {Dana C.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by British Ecological Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

year = "2025",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1002/ece3.71312",

language = "American English",

volume = "15",

journal = "Ecology and Evolution",

issn = "2045-7758",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Ltd",

number = "4",

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Narvaez, ZE, Egizi, AM, Yabsley, MJ, Thompson, AT, Moustafa, M, Alt, E, Bickerton, M, Bjorgo, K, Butler, RA, Cumbie, A, Eastwood, G, Falco, RC, Fonseca, DM, Hang, J, Harper, VL, Lewis, N, Lovy, J, Maestas, LP, Mather, TN, Nakao, R, Occi, JL, Rainey, T, Sal, M, Stoops, CA, Trout-Fryxell, RT, Watson, W, Wagner, NE, Zheng, A, Saelao, P & Price, DC 2025, 'Multiple Introductions of the Asian Longhorned Tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) to the United States Revealed Using Mitogenomics', Ecology and Evolution, vol. 15, no. 4, e71312. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71312

TY - JOUR

T1 - Multiple Introductions of the Asian Longhorned Tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) to the United States Revealed Using Mitogenomics

AU - Narvaez, Zoe E.

AU - Egizi, Andrea M.

AU - Yabsley, Michael J.

AU - Thompson, Alec T.

AU - Moustafa, Mohamed

AU - Alt, Erika

AU - Bickerton, Matthew

AU - Bjorgo, Kim

AU - Butler, Rebecca A.

AU - Cumbie, Alexandra

AU - Eastwood, Gillian

AU - Falco, Richard C.

AU - Fonseca, Dina M.

AU - Hang, Jun

AU - Harper, Vanessa L.

AU - Lewis, Nicole

AU - Lovy, Jan

AU - Maestas, Lauren P.

AU - Mather, Thomas N.

AU - Nakao, Ryo

AU - Occi, James L.

AU - Rainey, Tadhgh

AU - Sal, Melanie

AU - Stoops, Craig A.

AU - Trout-Fryxell, Rebecca T.

AU - Watson, Wes

AU - Wagner, Nicole E.

AU - Zheng, Aihua

AU - Saelao, Perot

AU - Price, Dana C.

PY - 2025/4

Y1 - 2025/4

N2 - The Asian longhorned tick (ALT), Haemaphysalis longicornis, is a three-host hard tick native to East Asia. Its opportunistic feeding habits make it an acute agricultural and medical threat, capable of spreading various zoonotic pathogens. An affinity for livestock and companion animals has allowed parthenogenetic populations of ALT to travel to and establish in overseas locations including the United States. To better understand the population dynamics of this rapidly expanding species, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of specimens collected from native and invasive ranges and performed phylogeographic analyses. As well as illustrating the diversity of Australasian and US ALT haplotypes, these methods have allowed us to estimate the source and frequency of successful introductions to the US. We highlight four potential introductions of parthenogenetic ALT, with likely origin populations identified in the Republic of Korea and Japan. These findings provide insight into potential routes of entry for ALT and other invasive tick species.

AB - The Asian longhorned tick (ALT), Haemaphysalis longicornis, is a three-host hard tick native to East Asia. Its opportunistic feeding habits make it an acute agricultural and medical threat, capable of spreading various zoonotic pathogens. An affinity for livestock and companion animals has allowed parthenogenetic populations of ALT to travel to and establish in overseas locations including the United States. To better understand the population dynamics of this rapidly expanding species, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of specimens collected from native and invasive ranges and performed phylogeographic analyses. As well as illustrating the diversity of Australasian and US ALT haplotypes, these methods have allowed us to estimate the source and frequency of successful introductions to the US. We highlight four potential introductions of parthenogenetic ALT, with likely origin populations identified in the Republic of Korea and Japan. These findings provide insight into potential routes of entry for ALT and other invasive tick species.

KW - Asian longhorned tick

KW - invasive species

KW - livestock pest

KW - mitogenome

KW - population genetics

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105003717648&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=105003717648&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/ece3.71312

DO - 10.1002/ece3.71312

M3 - Article

SN - 2045-7758

VL - 15

JO - Ecology and Evolution

JF - Ecology and Evolution

IS - 4

M1 - e71312

ER -

Multiple Introductions of the Asian Longhorned Tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) to the United States Revealed Using Mitogenomics

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

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