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TIK start
Family:

Soft ticks
Hard ticks

Life stage:
Larvae
Nymph
Adult

Genera
Amblyomma
* Background

Boophilus
* Background
Dermacentor
* Background
Haemaphysalis
* Background
Hyalomma
* Background
Ixodes
* Background

* Species Identification
* Host animals

Rhipicephalus
* Background

Parasite Image Collection

 

 

TICK IDENTIFICATION KEY

Identification of hard tick Larvae and Nymphs
using capituli

To identify Larval or Nymphal stages use the table below.

The small size of both Larva and Nymph stages (respectively 0.6-1.25 mm and 1.2-2 mm) make their identification difficult. Nevertheless they can be recognized when examining their capituli (under microscope), as all three stages have the same shaped head/palpi.

Does the head have:

Amblyomma hebraeum
Amblyomma hebraeum-capitulum
dorsal view
A. Article II
B. Article III
The tick is of genus:
 
   
* a long capitulum Amblyomma
article II (A), three  
times as long as III (B)
   
   
   
   

 

Boophilus decoloratus
Boophilus decoloratus-capitulum
dorsal view
A. Article II
B. Article III
C. Basis capituli
   
   
* compressed articles II (A) and III (B) Boophilus
* a hexagonal basis capituli (C)  
   
   
   
   
   

Dermacentor reticulatus
Dermacentor reticulatus-capitulum
dorsal view
A. Article II
B. Article III
   
   
* palpi as wide or wider than long Dermacentor
* rectangular basis capituli  
   
   
   
   

Haemaphysalis leachi
Haemaphysalis leachi-capitulum
dorsal view
A. Article II
C. Basis capituli

 
   
* short capitulum, article II (A) Haemaphysalis
* about twice as wide as long and  
* conical shape  
* rectangular basis capituli (C)  
   

Hyalomma marginatum
Hyalomma marginatum-capitulum

dorsal view
A. Article II
B. Article III
 
   
* elongated palps article II (A) at Hyalomma
* least twice as long as III (B)  
   
   
   
Ixodes ricinus

dorsal view
A. Article II
B. Article III

C. Basis capituli
 
   
* palp long and broad: Ixodes
- articles II (A)and III (B) longer than width of basis  
- set wide apart  
   
   
   

Rhipicephalus evertsi
Rhipicephalus evertsi-capitulum
dorsal view
A. Article II
B. Article III
C. Basis capituli
   
* with short broad palpi A & B Rhipicephalus
* hexagonal basis capituli (C)  
   
   
   
   
   
   

To continue identification of adults go to next page