Ixodes texanus Banks—raccoon tick

Ex Procyon lotor (raccoon): TN, Blount Co., Cades Cove, 1979­1980 (Rabinowitz et al. 1983); 1F, GSMNP, 18 Aug. 1988, R. Thompson, RML119897.

This tick parasitizes carnivores, especially the raccoon, across North America (Durden & Keirans 1996). Rickettsia rickettsii, the agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, has been isolated from I. texanus (Anderson et al. 1986) .