Feeding tick. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a tick (Ixodes sp. ) feeding head down in human skin. Ticks are arachnids which parasitis

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Feeding tick. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a tick (Ixodes sp. ) feeding head down in human skin. Ticks are arachnids which parasitise mammals, birds and reptiles, feeding on their blood. In the feeding process, they cut through the skin with the scissor-like action of their modified mouthparts, and thrust their hypostome (feeding tool) through the lacerated skin, and lock into the surrounding tissues. Ticks can transmit diseases such as relapsing fever and Lyme disease, and their bites may become infected. Magnification: x30 at 6x7cm size.

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Size: 4219px × 3487px
Photo credit: © VOLKER STEGER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, arachnida, burrowing, disease, ectoparasite, feeding, human, invertebrates, ixodes, lyme, nature, sem, skin, sp., tick, vector, wildlife, zoology