Ixodes lividus

Also known as the Sand martin tick

Hosts

Sand martin, house martin, swallow, great tit

Distribution

England, Ireland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Poland

Ixodes lividus is mainly found in the burrows/nests of sand martins all year around

Pathogenesis

I.lividus has been associated with Russian spring-summer encephalitis

Description

Adult female dorsal features

• Palps are short
• Cornua absent
• Tarsus I has a hump
• Unfed females can measure between 2.6mm-2.9mm in length
• Engorged females can measure up to 7.0mm in length

(Specimen courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London)

Adult female dorsal view (click on pictures for a close up)

Adult female ventral features

• Auriculae indistinct; appear as ridges
• Coxae I: spurs absent
• Coxae II-IV: spurs absent

(Specimen courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London)

Adult female ventral view (click on pictures for a close up)

Adult male dorsal features

• Palps are short
• Cornua absent
• Tarsus I has a hump
• Males can measure between 2.5mm-2.8mm in length

(Specimen courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London)

Adult male dorsal view (click on pictures for a close up)

Adult male ventral features

• Auriculae indistinct; appear as ridges
• Coxae I: spurs absent
• Coxae II-IV: spurs absent
• Adanal plates and median plates similar in length

(Specimen courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London)

Adult male ventral view (click on pictures for a close up)