Other tick species found in Québec
The different species of ticks are grouped into three large families commonly known as hard ticks, soft ticks and a third, intermediate family. In Québec, 12 tick species have been identified so far and all belong to the family of hard ticks.
This identification guide presents the different tick species that are most commonly found in Québec and that bite humans and their pets. These different tick species belong to the following five genera: Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Ixodes, Rhipicephalus and Haemaphysalis. It is worth noting that there are a lot of other tick genera and species that can come into contact with humans around the world, but information about these lies beyond the scope of this identification guide.
Review of the morphological characteristics of ticks
Comparison of different morphological criteria of the 5 genera of ticks most commonly found in Québec
Genus | Dorsal Shield | Length of palps relative to basis capituli | Festoons | Eyes | anal Groove |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ixodes | Inornate | Varies according to species | Absent | Absent | Above the anus |
Dermacentor | Ornate | Similar to the basis capituli | Present | Present | Below the anus |
Amblyomma | Ornate | Longer than basis capituli | Present | Present | Below the anus |
Rhipicephalus | Inornate | Similar in length to basis capituli | Present | Present | Below the anus |
Haemaphysalis | Inornate | Similar in length to basis capituli | Present | Absent | Below the anus |