Editing Tick (section)

====Ixodidae====

In [[Nymph (biology)|nymphs]] and adults, the {{lang|la|capitulum}} is prominent and projects forwards from the body. The eyes are close to the sides of the scutum and the large [[Spiracle (arthropods)|spiracle]]s are located just behind the [[Arthropod leg|coxae]] of the fourth pair of legs.<ref name="Molyneux">[[#Molyneux|Molyneux (1993)]] [https://books.google.com/books?id=jj18axV3TTAC&pg=PA6 p. 6]</ref> The hard protective [[scutellum (insect anatomy)|scutellum]], a characteristic of this family, covers nearly the whole dorsal surface in males, but is restricted to a small, shield-like structure behind the capitulum in females and nymphs.<ref name="Walker">{{cite book | vauthors = Walker JB, Keirans JE, Horak IG |title=The Genus ''Rhipicephalus'' (Acari, Ixodidae): A Guide to the Brown Ticks of the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M9fLCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA39 |year=2005 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-316-58374-6 |page=39}}</ref> When an ixodid attaches to a host the bite is typically painless and generally goes unnoticed. They remain in place until they engorge and are ready to [[Moulting|molt]]; this process may take days or weeks. Some species drop off the host to molt in a safe place, whereas others remain on the same host and only drop off once they are ready to lay their eggs.<ref name=Salman>{{cite book| vauthors = Salman MD, Tarrés-Call J, Estrada-Peña A |title=Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases: Geographical Distribution and Control Strategies in the Euro-Asia Region |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mN4gCC81XHcC&pg=PA6 |year=2013 |publisher=CABI |isbn=978-1-84593-853-6 |pages=6–12}}</ref>[[File:Argas spec columbidae.jpg|thumb|A soft-bodied tick of the family Argasidae, beside eggs it has just laid]]