How many species of ticks are there? - briefly
Approximately 900 tick species have been described worldwide, classified into three families: Ixodidae (hard ticks), Argasidae (soft ticks), and Nuttalliellidae (a single‑species family).
How many species of ticks are there? - in detail
Ticks belong to the order Ixodida, divided into three families: Ixodidae (hard ticks), Argasidae (soft ticks), and Nuttalliellidae (a single‑species family). Current taxonomic databases list approximately 950 valid species worldwide.
- Ixodidae – about 800 species, grouped into 12 genera such as Ixodes, Rhipicephalus, Amblyomma and Dermacentor.
- Argasidae – roughly 140 species, represented by 7 genera including Argas, Ornithodoros and Carios.
- Nuttalliellidae – one species, Nuttalliella namaqua, known from southern Africa.
Geographic surveys show the highest species richness in tropical and subtropical regions, where diverse habitats support multiple host assemblages. Temperate zones host fewer taxa, often dominated by a few widely distributed hard‑tick species.
Taxonomic revisions based on molecular phylogenetics have added several cryptic species in recent years, especially within the Ixodes and Rhipicephalus clades. Consequently, the exact count fluctuates as new descriptions and synonymizations are published. Major references such as the Catalogue of Life (2024 edition) and the Tick Species Checklist (2023) provide the most up‑to‑date enumeration.
In summary, the global tick fauna comprises close to one thousand distinct species, with the majority classified as hard ticks, a substantial minority as soft ticks, and a single representative of the primitive family. Ongoing research continues to refine this figure.