Also known as the Puffin tick

 

Hosts

Sea birds: puffin, manx shearwater, herring gull, guillemot, razorbill, shag

 

Distribution

France, UK; Wales (Skokholm, Bardsey); England (Lundy, Devon, Cornwall); Ireland (Great Saltee, Skellig Islands)

I. rothschildi is generally found in burrows of sea birds, females are occasionally found on host

 

Pathogenesis

Razorbill: Uukuniemi serogroup virus

 

Description

Adult female dorsal features

  • Hypostome long
  • Cornua distinct
  • Tarsus I tapered
  • Unfed females can measure between 2.8mm-3.2mm in length
  • Engorged females can measure up to 8.0mm in length

Ixodes_rothschildi_f-nuttandwarbcollectiontray108-dorsal-3_2x 0 femaledorsal

(Specimen courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London)

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

Adult female ventral features

  • Auriculae distinct and rounded
  • Coxae I: distinct internal and external spurs
  • Coxae II-III: distinct internal and external spur
  • Coxae IV: distinct external spur only

Ixodes_rothschildi_f-nuttandwarbcollectiontray108-ventral-3_2x 0 femaleventral

(Specimen courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London)

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

Adult male dorsal features

  • Palps short and blunt
  • Hypostome reduced
  • Cornua indistinct
  • Tarsus I tapered
  • Males can measure between 3.0mm-3.2mm in length

Ixodes_rothschildi_m-nuttandwarbcollectiontray108-dorsal-3_2x 0 maledorsal

(Specimen courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London)

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

Adult male ventral features

  • Coxae I:triangular in shape and lacks spurs
  • Coxae II-IV: lack spurs
  • Adanal plates short
  • Ventral plates heavily sclerotized

Ixodes_rothschildi_m-nuttandwarbcollectiontray108-ventral-3_2x 0 maleventral

(Specimen courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London)

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

x