What does a tick look like up close? - briefly
A tick is a tiny, oval, reddish‑brown arachnid, typically 2–5 mm in length when unfed, with a smooth dorsal shield and eight short legs. Its mouthparts extend as a beak‑like structure for piercing skin and sucking blood.
What does a tick look like up close? - in detail
A tick measures roughly 2–5 mm when unfed, expanding to 10 mm or more after a blood meal. The body consists of two distinct regions: the anterior capitulum and the posterior idiosoma. The dorsal surface of the idiosoma is covered by a hardened plate called the scutum, which can be brown, reddish‑brown, or gray depending on species and engorgement level. The scutum’s surface is smooth but may display faint patterns of punctures or tiny hairs (setae) that become more visible under magnification.
The ventral side lacks a scutum and appears softer, with a thin, semi‑transparent cuticle that reveals underlying tissue. Around the edge of the ventral plate are small, rectangular cuticular folds known as festoons; they assist in expansion and are clearly defined when the tick is stretched.
Mouthparts protrude forward from the capitulum:
- Hypostome – a barbed structure that anchors the tick in host tissue.
- Palps – short, paired appendages that sense the environment.
- Chelicerae – tiny, serrated jaws that cut the skin.
- Labrum – a small plate covering the hypostome.
Four pairs of legs emerge from the anterior region. Each leg ends in a claw and a sensory organ called a Haller’s organ, which detects heat, carbon‑dioxide, and movement. The legs are relatively short in unfed ticks but elongate noticeably after engorgement.
Eyes are present only on the dorsal surface of some species; they appear as tiny, dark spots near the scutum’s anterior margin. When examined under a stereomicroscope, the overall texture is a combination of glossy cuticle on the scutum and a matte, flexible membrane on the ventral side, providing a clear contrast between the two body regions.