How does a small tick larva look? - briefly
A tick larva is a minute, six‑legged creature roughly 0.5 mm in length, with a translucent, oval body and tiny eyes near the anterior. Its color varies from pale yellow to light brown, rendering it almost invisible without magnification.
How does a small tick larva look? - in detail
A tick larva is the first active stage after hatching from the egg. It measures roughly 0.1–0.2 mm in length, comparable to the tip of a pin. The body is oval, slightly flattened laterally, and consists of a soft, translucent cuticle that often appears pale yellow to light brown under magnification.
The larva possesses six legs, each attached to the anterior region. The legs are short, stubby, and end in tiny claws that enable brief attachment to a host. No eyes are present; sensory perception relies on chemoreceptors located on the front limbs.
Mouthparts form a small, ventrally positioned capitulum. The hypostome, a barbed structure used for feeding, is underdeveloped compared to later stages, reflecting the larva’s primary reliance on a brief blood meal. The palps are reduced to simple, hair‑like projections.
The dorsal surface contains a faintly visible scutum, a hardened plate that is not yet fully sclerotized. Internally, the larva houses a rudimentary digestive tract and a developing nervous system, both visible only with microscopic dissection.
Key visual characteristics:
- Length: 0.1–0.2 mm
- Shape: oval, laterally flattened
- Color: translucent to pale yellow/brown
- Legs: six short, clawed appendages
- Eyes: absent
- Mouthparts: small capitulum with underdeveloped hypostome
- Dorsal shield: partially sclerotized scutum
These traits distinguish the early stage from nymphs and adults, which exhibit eight legs, more robust scuta, and fully functional feeding structures.