Also known as the Long-legged bat tick

 

Hosts

Bats

 

Distribution

Wales, South West England, Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Spain, Italy

Ixodes vespertilionis is generally found in caves- close to roots of bats, females can often be found on host but males are found on the walls of the caves

 

Pathogenesis

Bats: Tick-borne encephalitis virus, Kul virus

 

Description

Adult female dorsal features

  • Long slender legs
  • Palps long and narrow
  • Porose areas large and close together
  • Cornua absent
  • Tarsus I elongated
  • Unfed females can measure between 4.4mm-4.8mm in length
  • Engorged females can measure up to 10mm in length

I.vespertilionis female dorsal 0 femaledorsal

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

Adult female ventral features

  • Auriculae absent
  • Coxae I: lacks spurs
  • Coxae II-IV: lack spurs
  • Genital aperture between coxae III

I.vespertilionis female ventral 0 femaleventral

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

Adult male dorsal features

  • Long slender legs
  • Palps club-like; hypostome reduced
  • Cornua absent
  • Tarsus I elongated
  • Males can measure between 4.0mm-4.4mm in length

Ixodes_vespertilionis_m-gbthompsoncollectiontray111-dorsal-2_5x 0 malevdorsal

(Specimen courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London)

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

Adult male ventral features

  • Auriculae absent
  • Coxae I: lacks spurs
  • Coxae II-IV: lack spurs
  • Pregenital plate small
  • Adanal plates similar length as median plate

Ixodes_vespertilionis_m-gbthompsoncollectiontray111-ventral-2_5x 0 maleventral

(Specimen courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London)

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

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