Figure 1-23. Life cycle of the tick.
(NOTE: The larval stage has six legs.)
b. Soft Ticks (Family Argasidae). The soft ticks are round or oval and lack a
shield on the back; their skin is leathery, wrinkled, and tough. In adults, the mouthparts
are not visible from above (see figure 1-24). Their development is similar to hard ticks
but they may have two to several larval and nymphal stages. Soft ticks are secretive in
their habits, feeding at night and concealing themselves during the day in crevices or
cracks near the nest or roost of the host. The female feeds and lays eggs alternately
over a relatively long period. Thus, a single soft tick may feed, on several different
hosts during one Iifetime, which sharply increases its disease-carrying potential. Many
soft ticks feed on birds and reptiles, although others prefer mammals as a host.
Figure 1-24. Soft tick.
MD0170
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