Tick Found on Cat - Ixodes kingi

Moved

Moved from Ixodes.

… v belov, 11 August, 2009 - 3:41pm

Ixodes kingi

After keying it out, I think this is an engorged Ixodes kingi nymph.

… Jon Oliver, 3 August, 2009 - 3:02pm

Thanks, Jon. First one so I

Thanks, Jon. First one so I will ask for a page for it. Do you work at the Lyme Disease Surveillance? I got a card back saying that it was a Ixodes kingi from there, too.

… Sharon and Bill Harris, 10 August, 2009 - 5:31pm

Yes

Sorry if that wasn't clear, I ID the ticks for the LDSP.

… Jon Oliver, 11 August, 2009 - 8:50am

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Sharon and Bill Harris, 1 August, 2009 - 10:50pm

Ixodes

This tick is an immature member of the genus Ixodes, but is not Ixodes scapularis, the blacklegged tick. Probably, it will need to be identified from the specimen, though these are some great photos. If you got it off a cat, I don't think you need to be concerned about Lyme disease. If you want it IDed, you can send it here:

Lyme Disease Surveillance Program
Science II Rm. 436
Ames, IA 50011

… Jon Oliver, 31 July, 2009 - 8:51am

Thanks Jon

I will send it right off then. I will be interested to know what it is. Is the dark color an indicator of being immature? I ask because ticks usually have a gray/tan color when full like this. This one looked black to the naked eye.

… Sharon and Bill Harris, 31 July, 2009 - 1:09pm

Nymph

The "gun-metal grey" coloration is typical of many ticks of this genus if they have fed to repletion. You can tell a tick is immature if it lacks a genital aperture. This structure usually looks like a u or v-shaped slit on the underside of the tick between its legs. In the underside shot you took, that slit is not present. Additionally, larval ticks (the first mobile stage) lack a genital opening but only have 6 legs, rather than eight. Since this tick has 8 legs but no aperture it is a nymph (the second mobile stage). By looking at these two characters, leg number and genital aperture presence, you can easily determine the life stage of a hard tick.

… Jon Oliver, 31 July, 2009 - 2:05pm

Thank you for the explanation

Thank you for the explanation.

… Sharon and Bill Harris, 1 August, 2009 - 10:48pm