What does a red-bodied tick look like? - briefly
A red‑bodied tick is a small, oval arachnid about 2–5 mm long, with a dark, shield‑like scutum on the dorsal side and a distinctly reddish‑orange abdomen visible when engorged. The legs are short and pale, and the mouthparts protrude forward from the front of the body.
What does a red-bodied tick look like? - in detail
A tick with a reddish abdomen displays a compact, oval body divided into two main regions. The anterior part, the scutum, is typically dark brown to black and may exhibit a faint pattern of lighter markings. Directly behind the scutum, the posterior segment—known as the idiosoma—appears uniformly red or orange, often with a glossy sheen that distinguishes it from the darker front.
Key visual characteristics include:
- Length ranging from 2 mm in unfed adults to 5 mm when engorged.
- Width proportionally narrower than length, maintaining an overall oval silhouette.
- Six legs attached to the ventral side, each ending in tiny claws for attachment to hosts.
- Mouthparts (capitulum) projecting forward, comprising a pair of chelicerae and a barbed hypostome used for piercing skin.
- In females, the red abdomen expands considerably after feeding, while males retain a relatively slender, less distended abdomen.
Color variations may occur due to engorgement level or species-specific pigmentation, but the contrast between the dark scutum and the vivid red posterior region remains a reliable identifier for this group of ectoparasites.