Tick
A tick is a parasitic or predatory arachnid in the mite group. Its compact body and specialized mouthparts support feeding on vertebrate hosts.
Tick feeding: The process by which a tick attaches to a host and takes a blood meal or other tissue fluids. Explains how ticks obtain nourishment while remaining attached to a host.
Lyme disease: An infectious disease caused by bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex and transmitted by certain ticks. It is a prominent example of a human disease transmitted by ticks.
Acari: The taxonomic group containing mites and ticks, classified within the arachnids. Ticks belong to this broader group of arthropods.
Mite: A small arachnid in the group Acari; most mites are not ticks. Ticks are mites, but their parasitic feeding and specialized body plan set them apart from most mites.
Tick mouthparts: The structures a tick uses to pierce, anchor to, and feed from a host. Their barbed, specialized parts help ticks attach securely during feeding.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever: A potentially severe bacterial disease caused by Rickettsia rickettsii and transmitted by certain ticks. This tick-borne infection can progress rapidly without treatment.
Arachnid: An arthropod with four pairs of legs as an adult, including spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks. This is the larger animal group to which ticks belong.
Flea: A wingless, laterally flattened insect adapted for jumping and feeding on vertebrate blood. Fleas also parasitize vertebrates, but are insects rather than arachnids.
Questing (biology): A host-seeking behavior in which ticks wait on vegetation with their legs extended to detect passing animals. This is a common way ticks encounter potential hosts.
Tick-borne encephalitis: A viral infection of the central nervous system transmitted by infected ticks, mainly in parts of Europe and Asia. It illustrates the neurological diseases associated with tick bites.