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| | Many of the hard tick species that infect animals in the UK are also present in other parts of Europe and the rest of the world information on these can be found [[Hard Ticks - UK|here]]. There are many tick species that are important both in the effects of their ectoparasitism but also in their ability to transmit other infectious agents. | | Many of the hard tick species that infect animals in the UK are also present in other parts of Europe and the rest of the world information on these can be found [[Hard Ticks - UK|here]]. There are many tick species that are important both in the effects of their ectoparasitism but also in their ability to transmit other infectious agents. |
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| − | ==''Ixodes spp.''== | + | ==''[[Ixodes spp.]]''== |
| − | This is the largest genus of hard ticks globally and can be identified by;
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| − | *Small size
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| − | *Inornate scutums
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| − | *No eyes
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| − | *No festoons
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| − | *Long mouthparts
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| − | *Anterior anal groove
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| − | ====''Ixodes scapularis''====
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| − | [[File:Ixodes scapularis.jpg|150px|thumb|right|''Ixodes scapularis'' - Dodo 2005, Wikimedia commons]]
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| − | {| cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" border="1"
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| − | | Also known as:
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| − | | Deer tick
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| − | Shoulder tick <br/>
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| − | Black-legged tick
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| − | |-
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| − | |}
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| − | This tick is found in wooded areas throughout North America and can infect all mammals and birds but the favoured host is the Deer. It requires a high humidity in order to sruvive and so will only quest for hosts when conditions are suitable, around August and May time. This is a three host tick that takes 3 years to complete its life cycle although in this period it only feeds for about 28 days. The tick feeds once at each stage of its life, except the adult male that will feed intermittently and remain on the host to mate. Mating takes place on the host, following which the female will feed for about 14 days before being shed from the host to lay eggs in a sheltered area before dieing. The bites from ''I. scapularis'' are painful, more importantly however these ticks are the most common vector of Lyme disease in North America. These ticks are important zoonotically as the main vectors of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis.
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| − | ====''Ixodes holocyclus''====
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| − | [[File:Ixodes holocyclus.jpg|150px|thumb|right|''Ixodes holocyclus'' before and after feeding - Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, Wikimedia commons]]
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| − | {| cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" border="1"
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| − | | Also known as:
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| − | | Paralysis tick
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| − | |-
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| − | |}
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| − | Found in Australia and infects all mammals and birds but is of importance in catlle, sheep, goats, dogs and cats. It is a three host tick and has a standard ''Ixodes'' life cycle (as described above). These ticks are the primary cause of tick paralysis in Australia, reportedly responsible for upwards of 20000 cases of paralysis in domestic animals annualy. Even in infection with a small number of ticks, or the developmental stages, they can cause death in animals particularly in young calves. On top of the paralytic ability of these ticks they are vectors for ''Rickettsia australis'', Queensland tick typhus, and ''[[Q fever|Coxiella burnetti]]'', Q fever.
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| | ==''Rhipicephalus spp.''== | | ==''Rhipicephalus spp.''== |