Nuttalliellidae
- Pronunciation
- /nuh-TAL-ee-EL-ih-dee/
- Category
- Taxonomy
- Singular
- Nuttalliellidae
Definition
A of (order Ixodida) containing the single living Nuttalliella, represented by Nuttalliella namaqua in southern Africa. The family is considered the most primitive extant lineage of ticks, exhibiting a mosaic of characters intermediate between the () and hard ticks (), including stigmatal placement, lack of setae, a strongly corrugated , and distinctive fenestrated plates.
Etymology
Example
Nuttalliellidae is of particular evolutionary interest because Nuttalliella namaqua retains plesiomorphic features such as corrugated body texture and fenestrated plates that suggest it diverged before the split between and .
Related Terms
Usage Notes
The is and relictual, with a highly restricted modern distribution in southern Africa but fossil representatives known from Cretaceous Burmese amber. Its phylogenetic position makes it critical for understanding evolution, though its and associations remain poorly studied compared to ixodid and ticks. Specimens are rarely encountered in field collections.