Argas and Ornithodoras
These ticks, known as soft ticks or bird ticks, are soft bodied, lacking the scutum
of Dermacentor variabilis. Mammals and reptiles
may also be used as hosts. The adult ticks are usually off the host during the
day, but return at night to feed on blood. Six-legged hexapod larvae hatch from
the eggs and may require a blood meal to moult to the nymphal stage, which possesses
eight legs. There are several nymphal stages, each one requiring a blood meal
before the moult. The final moult is to the adult stage.
Bird ticks can transmit some serious bacterial diseases and can also cause severe blood loss and skin irritation.
There is not much to see from the dorsal view. Structures to note include the hypostome and palps on the head.
Argas mouth parts
Argas anterior
Ornithodoras
This page © 2000. Dept. of Zoology, University
of Manitoba.