Summary

Using high-resolution whole-mitogenome sequencing, the authors demonstrate that the US population is not the result of a single entry, but rather at least four independent introductions from East Asia and potentially Australia.

The research identifies three major lineages (H1, H2, H3) with distinct origins: the H1 lineage, concentrated in the Northeast, is genetically identical to specimens from the Republic of Korea, while the widespread H2 lineage has been present in the US since at least 2010. Critically, the study reveals that US H3 ticks descend from two separate introduction events, clustering with specimens from Japan and Oceania. These findings have profound implications for pest management, as ticks from different global sources may possess varying resistance to pesticides or capacities to transmit pathogens like Theileria orientalis. Readers are encouraged to read the full manuscript to understand the critical biosecurity gaps facilitating these invasions—such as unregulated companion animal imports—and the specific strategies proposed for targeted surveillance.

Link to paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.71312

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