Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Dermacentor andersoni

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Subclass
  
Acari

Order
  
Ixodida

Scientific name
  
Dermacentor andersoni

Rank
  
Species

Phylum
  
Arthropoda

Superorder
  
Parasitiformes

Family
  
Ixodidae

Higher classification
  
Dermacentor

Dermacentor andersoni micromagnetfsueduopticsolympusmicdgalleries

Similar
  
Dermacentor, American dog tick, Ixodidae, Amblyomma, Lone star tick

Dermacentor andersoni, commonly known as the Rocky Mountain wood tick, is a species of tick. It can cause tick paralysis. This tick is well known as a vector of the Rocky Mountain spotted fever rickettsia in the northwestern U.S. and Canada, the Colorado tick fever virus, and the bacteria which causes tularemia (hunter's disease).

Diagnostic features:

  • The larva only has three pairs of legs.
  • The nymph has four pairs.
  • A single pair of spiracular openings (stigmata) are seen close to the coxae (leg bases or segments) of the fourth pair of legs (except in larvae).
  • A terminal capitulum (mouthparts) is visible from above in all hatched stages.
  • A large sclerite called the scutum is present dorsally behind the capitulum. The scutum almost entirely covers the back of the male, but only partly covers the back of the female.
  • Eyes, if present, are on the scutum.
  • Sexual dimorphism in size and colour is frequent. The female is often larger.
  • The posterior margin of opisthosoma is usually subdivided into sclerites called festoons.
  • The pedipalps are rigid along the chelicerae, and are not leg-like.

    • References

    Dermacentor andersoni Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA