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Tick Pictorial Identification Guide

On this page you will find photos of tick specimen that I have encountered either in the field or identifying in the lab. All photos shown have been taken by myself through the optical lens of a dissection microscope.Three tick genuses are pictured including, Ixodes, Dermacentor, and Haemaohysalis, subsequently with three species pictured as well. 

Genus: Ixodes 

  • Information and importance
    • Ixodes scapularis or the deer tick/blacklegged tick 
      • Complete life cycle in 2 years over 3 life stages (larva, nymph, adult)
      • Can be found in deciduous forests and very often in covered leaf litter
      • 2 enzootic hosts are the white-footed mouse and white-tailed deer
        • Distribution can vary - due to mouse vs. deer host
          • In my own experience, I. scapularis ticks are commonly collected on birds that are captured while I assist with bird banding
      • Three blood-meals taken
        • larvae-nymph (of least concern)
        • nymph-adult (of most concern)
        • adult-host 3 (of moderate concern)
      • Adult females and nymphs are responsible for transmission of diseases 
        • including; Lyme disease, Powassan virus, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis

From left-right dorsally;
♀ I. scapularis, ⚦ I. scapularis, and I. scapularis nymph 

Ixodes scapularis - female - ♀

Dorsal view, ♀deer tick
Ventral view, ♀deer tick

Ixodes scapularis - nymph - n

Dorsal view, deer tick nymph 

Ventral view, deer tick nymph 

Genus: Dermacentor 

  • Information and importance
    • Dermacentor variabilis or the American dog tick
      • Can be found mostly throughout the entire country especially in areas that get lots of sunlight like fields or forest edges
        • In my experience; I always manage to have one crawling on my leg if walking through a field or taller grass/vegetation. Dog ticks are also noticeably faster than deer ticks and like to crawl up the body
      • Have a wide variety of enzootic hosts including but not limited to; dogs, cats, raccoons, and other small mammals 
        • Distribution can vary - due to variety of hosts
      • Three blood-meals taken (3 host tick)
        • larvae-nymph 
        • nymph-adult 
        • adult-host 3
          • At this point, dog ticks are not a top priority in terms of public and veterinary health in Maine
      • Adult females and adult males are responsible for transmission of diseases 
        • including; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tularemia

Dermacentor variabilis - female - ♀

Dorsal view, ♀American dog tick 
Ventral view, ♀American dog tick

Dermacentor variabilis - male - ⚦

Dorsal view, ⚦ American dog tick

Ventral view, ⚦ American dog tick

Genus: Haemaphysalis

  • Information and importance
    • Haemaphysalis leporispalustris or the rabbit tick
      • Can be found in diverse habitats where its host dwell
        • Has a similar appearance to deer ticks has some morphological differences that can be used to differentiate 
      • Enzootic hosts include; rabbits, ground-nesting birds, and occasionally small mammals 
      • Three blood-meals taken (3 host tick)
        • larvae-nymph 
        • nymph-adult 
        • adult-host 3
          • In terms of public and veterinary health in Maine, rabbit ticks have a rare potential of zoonotic transmission 
            • Can lead to fatal conditions in animal populations
      • Although rare, may be responsible for transmission of 
        • Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tularemia

Haemaphysalis leporispalustris - nymph - n

Dorsal view, rabbit tick nymph

Ventral view, rabbit tick nymph


References

1. Blacklegged (deer) tick. TickEncounter. (n.d.). https://web.uri.edu/tickencounter/species/blacklegged-tick/ 

2. American dog tick. TickEncounter. (n.d.-a). https://web.uri.edu/tickencounter/species/dog-tick/ 

3. Rutgers University. (n.d.). NJ Ticks 4 Science!. Ticks for science! https://ticks.rutgers.edu/ticks/7 

4. University of Maine. (2019, March 13). Rabbit tick - cooperative extension: Tick lab - university of maine cooperative extension. Cooperative Extension: Tick Lab. https://extension.umaine.edu/ticks/maine-ticks/rabbit-tick/#:~:text=Rabbit%20ticks%20typically%20do%20not,transmission%20to%20humans%20is%20rare. 



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