Ixodida
Guides
Ixodes affinis
Ixodes affinis is a hard-bodied tick species distributed across the southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Unlike its congener Ixodes scapularis, this species does not bite humans but serves as a competent vector for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Immature stages feed on birds and small mammals, while adults parasitize larger mammals including deer and dogs. Its expanding range into southeastern Virginia and association with migratory birds has raised concerns about its role in pathogen dispersal.
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I.-malayensisI.-marxiI.-masloviI.-matopiI.-minorI.-monospinosusI.-moreliI.-moschiferiI.-murisI.-murreletiI.-myospalacisI.-nchisiensisI.-necromysI.-neitziI.-nipponensisI.-nuttalliI.-ochotonaeI.-okapiaeI.-oldiI.-ornithorhynchiI.-ovatusI.-pacificusI.-pararicinusI.-pavlovskyiI.-percavatusI.-peromysciI.-persulcatusI.-pomerantziI.-pterodromaeI.-quadratusI.-raccoonisI.-rageauiI.-randrianasoloiI.-rasusI.-redikorzeviI.-ricinusI.-rothschildiI.-rotundatusI.-rubicundusI.-rugicollisI.-rugosusI.-sapeloensisI.-sarsiI.-scapularisI.-schillingsiI.-sculptusI.-semenoviI.-soricisI.-spinaeI.-steiniI.-stilesiI.-stromiI.-subterranusI.-tancitariusI.-tanukiI.-tapirusI.-tasmaniI.-tayloriI.-tertiariusI.-texanusI.-theileraeI.-thomasaeI.-tovariI.-transvaalensisI.-triangulicepsI.-trichosuriI.-turdusI.-uriaeI.-vandenbergiI.-vanidicusI.-ventalloiI.-vespertilionisI.-victoriensisI.-walkeraeI.-werneriI.-woodiI.-zaglossiI.-zairensistick-taxonomytick-systematicstick-phylogenytick-evolutiontick-biogeographytick-ecologytick-physiologytick-behaviortick-reproductiontick-developmenttick-nutritiontick-metabolismtick-respirationtick-excretiontick-osmoregulationtick-neurobiologytick-sensory-biologytick-chemoreceptiontick-thermoreceptiontick-mechanoreceptiontick-photoreceptiontick-circadian-rhythmtick-biological-clocktick-seasonalitytick-diapausetick-overwinteringtick-cold-hardinesstick-desiccation-resistancetick-water-balancetick-cuticletick-moltingtick-ecdysistick-growthtick-feedingtick-engorgementtick-blood-mealtick-digestiontick-salivationtick-saliva-compositiontick-salivary-gland-transcriptometick-salivary-proteometick-pharmacologytick-toxicologytick-venomtick-paralysis-toxintick-borne-pathogentick-borne-virustick-borne-bacteriumtick-borne-protozoantick-borne-helminthtick-borne-rickettsiatick-borne-ehrlichiatick-borne-anaplasmatick-borne-borreliatick-borne-babesiatick-borne-theileriatick-borne-hepatozoontick-borne-coxiellatick-borne-francisellatick-borne-bartonellatick-borne-chlamydiatick-borne-mycoplasmatick-borne-spiroplasmatick-borne-arbovirustick-borne-flavivirustick-borne-bunyavirustick-borne-reovirustick-borne-orbivirustick-borne-coltivirustick-borne-nairovirustick-borne-phlebovirustick-borne-thogotovirustick-borne-orthomyxovirustick-borne-arenavirustick-borne-hantavirustick-borne-paramyxovirustick-borne-rhabdovirustick-borne-bornavirustick-borne-filovirustick-borne-coronavirustick-borne-poxvirustick-borne-herpesvirustick-borne-adenovirustick-borne-papillomavirustick-borne-polyomavirustick-borne-circovirustick-borne-parvovirustick-borne-anellovirustick-borne-dependovirustick-borne-tenuivirustick-borne-deltavirustick-borne-hepadnavirustick-borne-retrovirustick-borne-lentivirustick-borne-spumavirustick-borne-metavirustick-borne-pseudovirustick-borne-hemivirustick-borne-novirhabdovirustick-borne-peribunyavirustick-borne-phenuivirustick-borne-bandavirustick-borne-phasivirustick-borne-tulasvirustick-borne-orthonairovirustick-borne-shavivirustick-borne-sathuperi-virustick-borne-salehabad-virustick-borne-dera-ghazi-khan-virustick-borne-hughes-virustick-borne-farallon-virustick-borne-punta-salinas-virustick-borne-sapphire-II-virustick-borne-zirqa-virustick-borne-keterah-virustick-borne-thiafora-virustick-borne-erve-virustick-borne-malsoor-virustick-borne-tibet-virustick-borne-qalyub-virustick-borne-yogue-virustick-borne-kasokero-virustick-borne-lebombo-virustick-borne-nyamanini-virustick-borne-midway-virustick-borne-tokar-virustick-borne-absettarov-virustick-borne-hypr-virustick-borne-kumlinge-virustick-borne-omsk-hemorrhagic-fever-virustick-borne-langat-virustick-borne-louping-ill-virustick-borne-kyasanur-forest-disease-virustick-borne-alkhurma-hemorrhagic-fever-virustick-borne-powassan-virustick-borne-deer-tick-virustick-borne-heartland-virustick-borne-bourbon-virustick-borne-colorado-tick-fever-virustick-borne-eyach-virustick-borne-banna-virustick-borne-seadornavirustick-borne-great-island-virustick-borne-kemerovo-virustick-borne-lipovnik-virustick-borne-tribec-virustick-borne-chobar-gorge-virustick-borne-wad-Medani-virustick-borne-dugbe-virustick-borne-crimean-congo-hemorrhagic-fever-virustick-borne-nairobi-sheep-disease-virustick-borne-ganjam-virustick-borne-bandia-virustick-borne-sierra-nevada-virustick-borne-lone-star-virustick-borne-severe-fever-with-thrombocytopenia-syndrome-virustick-borne-huaiyangshan-virustick-borne-guertu-virustick-borne-Alongshan-virustick-borne-wenzhou-virustick-borne-wuhan-virustick-borne-yongjia-virustick-borne-chiba-virustick-borne-natori-virustick-borne-odawara-virustick-borne-kowloon-virustick-borne-tamanavirusIxodidae
hard ticks, hard-backed ticks, scale ticks
Ixodidae is the family of hard ticks, one of two major tick families, distinguished from soft ticks (Argasidae) by the presence of a scutum—a hard dorsal shield. As of 2025, the family comprises approximately 769 species in 18 extant genera. Members are obligate ectoparasites of vertebrates and are significant vectors of pathogens causing diseases in humans, livestock, and wildlife.
Ixodiphagus
Ixodiphagus is a genus of minute chalcidoid wasps in the family Encyrtidae, comprising approximately 10–11 described species worldwide. These wasps are obligate parasitoids of ticks (order Ixodida), with females ovipositing into larval or nymphal tick hosts. The genus was erected by Leland Ossian Howard in 1907, with I. texanus as the type species. Ixodiphagus has been extensively studied as a potential biological control agent for medically and veterinary important tick species due to its unique host-specific biology.