ticks


ticks

Small, eight-legged, blood-sucking ectoparasites of the family Ixodoidea . Ticks can transmit LYME DISEASE, Q FEVER, RELAPSING FEVER, ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER, TULARAEMIA and VIRAL ENCEPHALITIS. Some ticks secrete a toxin in the saliva that can cause paralysis.

ticks

arthropods of two families of the ACARINA, that are mainly ectoparastic blood suckers, having an anticoagulant in the saliva; they are important in carrying disease.