ID#: 9966
Caption:
Under a magnification of 3206X, four-times greater than PHIL 9965, this scanning electron microscopic (SEM) image depicted a dorsal view of an unidentified male Dermacentor sp. tick found upon a cat in the suburbs of Decatur, Georgia, which measured approximately 3.5mm from its gnathosoma, which is where its mouthparts were located, to the distal abdominal margin (see PHIL 9961). Note in PHIL 9959 and 9960, that the entire dorsum of this tick’s abdomen was covered by its tough scutum, or shield, categorizing it as a male. In female Ixodid-specie ticks, the scutum only partially covers the dorsal abdomen. Revealed in this image was the base of the hypostome, which is one of the tick’s mouthparts that acts to pierce the host skin surface, thereby, anchoring the tick to the host as it obtains its blood meal. See PHIL 9964 for another view of the foliated hypostome surface.
High Resolution: Click here for hi-resolution image (5.48 MB)
Content Provider(s): CDC/ Callie Carr
Creation Date: 2006
Photo Credit: Janice Haney Carr
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Copyright Restrictions: None - This image is in the public domain and thus free of any copyright restrictions.