You should contact state or federal authorities if you find _______ in the United States:

• A. Amblyomma variegatum, the tropical bont tick
• B. Amblyomma maculatum, the Gulf coast tick
• C. Amblyomma dissimile, the Iguana tick
• D. Amblyomma cajennense, the Cayenne tick

Answer: (A)

Finding an exotic, non-native tick in the United States should be reported to state or federal authorities because it signals a potential introduction of pests and pathogens that could threaten livestock health and require rapid containment. The tropical bont tick, Amblyomma variegatum, is not established in the U.S. but can transmit heartwater disease in cattle. Detecting it would trigger immediate action to quarantine and eradicate to prevent spread. In contrast, the Gulf coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum) is already established in parts of the U.S., so its presence is not unexpected; the Iguana tick (Amblyomma dissimile) mainly associates with reptiles and is not a primary livestock threat; and the Cayenne tick (Amblyomma cajennense) is also not currently a frontline reporting trigger in this context.