Ticks
Guides
Ixodidae
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.
Rhipicephalus
brown ticks, pepper ticks
Rhipicephalus is a genus of hard ticks (Ixodidae) comprising approximately 90 species, commonly known as brown ticks. The genus is cosmopolitan but most diverse in tropical Africa. Several species are significant vectors of human and animal pathogens, including agents causing East Coast fever, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and rickettsial diseases. The subgenus Boophilus, formerly treated as a separate genus, contains economically important cattle fever ticks. Identification is often difficult due to morphological similarity among species and intraspecific variation, particularly in females and immature stages.