Color Patterning in Hard Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae)

ORCID

Schachat: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3237-5619; Goddard: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2617-7141

MSU Affiliation

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology

Creation Date

2026-09-30

Abstract

Among the hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), many species in the section Metastriata have intricate ornamentation on the scutum that is often used as a taxonomic character. However, the biological function(s) of this ornamentation remains unknown. Here, we summarize the main functions of color patterns recognized in the animal kingdom-thermoregulation, aposematism, camouflage, aggregation, mate recognition, and sexual signaling-and evaluate the potential of each of these to explain ornamentation in hard ticks. We also note the challenges and uncertainties involved in interpreting ornamentation in ticks as well as potential approaches for future research.

Keywords

Metastriata, camouflage, ecology, ornamentation, sexual selection

Publication Date

10-17-2017

Publication Title

Journal of Medical Entomology

Publisher

Oxford University Press; Entomological Society of America

First Page

1

Last Page

13

Rights

© The Author(s) 2017

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjx173