| Ixodidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ixodes ricinus (engorged) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Ixodida |
| Superfamily: | Ixodoidea |
| Family: | Ixodidae C. L. Koch, 1844 |
TheIxodidae are thefamily ofhard ticks orscale ticks,[1] one of the three families ofticks, consisting of over 700 species. They are known as 'hard ticks' because they have ascutum or hard shield, which the other major family of ticks, the 'soft ticks' (Argasidae), lack. They areectoparasites of a wide range of host species, and some arevectors of pathogens that can cause humandisease.[citation needed]
They are distinguished from the Argasidae by the presence of a scutum.[2] In both thenymph and the adult, a prominentgnathosoma (or capitulum,mouth and feeding parts) projects forward from the animal's body; in the Argasidae, conversely, the gnathosoma is concealed beneath the body.[citation needed]
They differ, too, in theirlifecycle; Ixodidae that attach to a host bite painlessly and are generally unnoticed, and they remain in place until they engorge and are ready to change their skin; this process may take days or weeks. Some species drop off the host tomoult in a safe place, whereas others remain on the same host and only drop off once they are ready to lay their eggs.[citation needed]
There are 702 species in 14 genera.[3] The family contains these genera:[3]
Many hard ticks are of considerable medical importance, acting asvectors of diseases caused by bacteria, protozoa, and viruses, such asRickettsia andBorrelia.[2] Other tick-borne diseases includeLyme disease,babesiosis,ehrlichiosis,Rocky Mountain spotted fever,anaplasmosis,Southern tick-associated rash illness,tick-borne relapsing fever,tularemia,Colorado tick fever,Powassan encephalitis, andQ fever.[4]
Lineage( full ) cellular organisms; Eukaryota; Opisthokonta; Metazoa; Eumetazoa; Bilateria; Protostomia; Ecdysozoa; Panarthropoda; Arthropoda; Chelicerata; Arachnida; Acari; Parasitiformes; Ixodida; Ixodoidea
