What does a skin tick look like? - briefly
A skin‑attached tick looks like a small, oval, brownish‑black disc that expands into a swollen, balloon‑like shape as it fills with blood. Its mouthparts appear as a tiny dark point protruding from the back.
What does a skin tick look like? - in detail
A skin‑attached tick presents as a small, rounded or oval body ranging from 2 mm in early stages to 10 mm or more when fully engorged. The dorsal surface is covered by a hard, shield‑like plate called the scutum; in females the scutum occupies only the anterior half, allowing the abdomen to expand dramatically after feeding. Color varies from reddish‑brown in unfed stages to deep gray or dark brown when engorged, often with a glossy sheen.
Key visual characteristics include:
- Body shape: Compact, pear‑shaped when fed; more flattened in larvae and nymphs.
- Legs: Eight jointed legs, each about 1 mm long in adults, clearly visible from the sides. Legs are positioned forward, giving the tick a “spider‑like” silhouette.
- Mouthparts: A pair of elongated, forward‑projecting palps and a hypostome (saw‑toothed feeding tube) that can be seen as a small, dark protrusion near the front.
- Eyes: Simple, dark spots located on the dorsal surface, often difficult to discern without magnification.
- Texture: Rough, with a granular or leathery feel; the scutum may appear slightly raised or wrinkled.
When attached, the tick embeds its head into the skin, leaving a tiny, often invisible puncture site. The surrounding skin may show a slight redness or a narrow, pale ring where the feeding cavity is located. In later feeding stages, the abdomen swells with blood, creating a noticeable bulge that can exceed the size of a pea. This expansion distorts the tick’s original silhouette, making it appear more balloon‑like while the legs remain stationary at the attachment point.