What specific epithet in *Ixodes pacificus* clearly indicates its primary geographical confinement?
Answer
*pacificus*
The specific epithet, *pacificus*, serves as an immediate geographical qualifier within public health and diagnostic settings because it directly points to the species' distribution. This designation signifies the organism's intrinsic link to environments situated to the west of the Rocky Mountains, spanning areas from southern British Columbia down through California and extending into Baja California. This confinement is a defining feature used to separate it ecologically and geographically from its eastern counterpart, *Ixodes scapularis*, which dominates the Eastern United States.
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