Amblyomma triguttatum (Kangaroo Tick)

Amblyomma triguttatum, commonly known as the Kangaroo Tick and the Ornate Kangaroo Tick. Native to Australia, it is found in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, with limited observations in South Australia and Northern Territory. Atlas of Living Australia currently shows (29 December 2024) no observations in Victoria or Tasmania.

In the family Ixodidae (known as “hard ticks”), Amblyomma triguttatum is a parasitic arachnid and is an obligate hematophage (only consuming blood for its nutritional needs). It is found on macropods that include Western Grey Kangaroos and Tammar Wallabies. Amblyomma triguttatum has also been found on other mammal hosts, such as black rats, European rabbits, domesticated dogs and cats, as well as humans.

While out in Wandoo National Park this week I noticed a yellow Thomisidae shining in the sun I thought would make a good photo. The spider was moving up the plant backwards away from what I thought were mites.

When I checked closer, there were a few tiny ticks chasing the spider up the leaf of the plant. She eventually jumped to another plant where she sat with her legs out waiting for a passerby to catch. On one of the photos you can see a tick on her abdomen, in another photo, she was backing up the leaf away from the ticks.

I then looked at another mass of … very welcoming ticks, all with their front legs out waiting for a ride and feed. I have never seen so many together.

These tiny ticks hatch from eggs that are laid on the ground and are able to survive for weeks without feeding on blood. They are also commonly known as seed ticks, grass ticks, or pepper ticks.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Informal: Acari
Order: Ixodida
Superfamily: Ixodoidea
Family: Ixodidae
Genus: Amblyomma
Species Amblyomma triguttatum
Subspecies:
- Amblyomma triguttatum ornatissimum Roberts, 1962
- Amblyomma triguttatum queenslandensis Roberts, 1962
- Amblyomma triguttatum rosei Roberts, 1962
- Amblyomma triguttatum triguttatum Koch, 1844

Footnote & References

Amblyomma triguttatum Koch, 1844, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Amblyomma triguttatum

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