Ticks are often mistaken for insects, but they are actually small arachnids (like spiders and scorpions) that, along with mites, constitute the subclass Acari. There are roughly 900 tick species found worldwide and approximately 90 species located in the United States. The 15 different tick species<\/a> that have been found in Maine are members of the family Ixodidae, which encompasses all of the hard ticks. Hard ticks are distinguished from soft ticks (family Argasidae) by the presence of a scutum and a prominent capitulum (head). No species of soft ticks have been found in Maine.<\/p>\n The tick\u2019s form consists of a capitulum (head) and a flattened, oval-shaped body called the idiosoma. Like spiders and other arachnids, adult ticks and nymphs have eight legs, though larvae emerge from the egg with only six. Hard ticks, like the ones found in Maine, have a hardened plate on the dorsal surface called a scutum. On females, this scutum takes up approximately 1\/3 of the dorsal surface and can be useful in differentiating tick species. On males, the scutum covers the entire dorsal surface and limits their feeding ability. The tick\u2019s mouthparts are located on the capitulum and are made up of the chelicerae and hypostome, which are used to penetrate and secure the tick to its host. During feeding, ticks secrete substances that help anchor it to the host, act as an anesthetic to mask the pain from the bite, and prevent blood from coagulating. Since ticks are efficient feeders and tenacious once attached, there is potential for transmitting disease. Mainers should be in the habit of performing tick checks after frequenting tick habitat.<\/p>\n\n\t\tMorphology<\/h3>\n