How does a human tick look? - briefly
A human‑feeding «tick» is a tiny arachnid, 2–5 mm long, with a flattened, oval body that turns reddish‑brown after engorgement. Its mouthparts form a protruding, bar‑shaped capitulum used to pierce skin and draw blood.
How does a human tick look? - in detail
A human‑infesting tick presents a compact, oval body measuring approximately 2–5 mm when unfed and expanding to 10–15 mm after engorgement. The dorsal surface, or scutum, is a hardened plate that varies in color from reddish‑brown to dark brown, often bearing a distinctive pattern of lighter patches or mottling. In the engorged state, the scutum remains a small shield at the front of the body while the surrounding cuticle stretches, giving the tick a balloon‑like appearance.
Key morphological features include:
- Six legs, each ending in a pair of small claws that grip the host’s skin.
- A pair of palps situated near the mouthparts, used for sensory detection.
- A ventral capitulum containing the hypostome, a barbed feeding tube that penetrates the host’s tissue.
- Eyespots (ocelli) on the dorsal surface of some species, appearing as tiny light‑colored dots.
- A set of festoons—groove‑like indentations along the posterior margin—that aid in flexibility.
The coloration of the exoskeleton may shift to a pale gray or whitish hue after a blood meal, reflecting the distended abdomen filled with host blood. The tick’s overall silhouette remains round‑ish, with the front segment slightly narrower than the rear, creating a teardrop shape when attached to the skin. The presence of a waxy, translucent cuticle often gives the engorged tick a glossy sheen.