• Presence of a terminal capitulum visible dorsally, and a smooth or striated scutum.

• Hard ticks often have eyes, festoons and pulvilli on legs.

• These are normally armed with internal and external spurs.

• Legs may be striated.

• The three life stages (larve, nymph, adult) all require a blood meal prior to moulting.

Ixodidae ticks are not nidicolous (except Ixodes), in other words they do not live around host. They are mostly found in open environments and are active during warm seasons. Their lifespan varies and can range from several months to 2-3 years. Hard ticks feed slowly and secrete cement to attach to the host. Some 3-host species may target a different host species for each lifestage. Females can grow up to 120 times their original size. Mating takes place on the host (except for Ixodes) before the female can engorge, lay thousands of eggs (over 23.000) and die. Disease transmission is reported to occur more commonly via adult females, although larval and nymphal stages can also transmit disease.

There are 13 known hard tick genera, namely:Ixodes, Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Boophilus, Rhipicephalus, Aponnoma, Margaropus, Nosomma, Rhipicentor, Cosmiomma and Anomalohimalaya. The last six names cited are relatively rare and have not be included in the key.