Ticks′ feet morphology and attachment

Because tick-born deseases are of particular medical significance, different aspects of ticks´ biology have been intensively studied in the past. However, there is no detailed information in the literature on functional morphology of tarsal attachment structures and adhesive ability of ticks to various substrates. Such knowledge may aid not only in a deeper understanding of locomotion of ticks and their dispersal mechanisms, but provide new ideas for development of surfaces with anti-adhesive properties to ticks. The presence of well-developed claws led us hypothesize that ticks are mostly adapted to attachment and locomotion onto rough and hairy, feltlike substrates. However, by using a combination of morphological and experimental, biomechanical studies, we visualised the ultrastructure of attachment devices of Ixodes ricinus (Acarii, Ixodidae) and showed that this species adheres stronger to smooth surfaces than to rough ones. Between paired, elongated, curved claws, I. ricinus bears a large, flexible, foldable adhesive pad, analogous to insect arolium, which represents an adaptation to adhesion on smooth surfaces. Obtained microscopic and biomechanics data are discussed here against the background of general tick biology, their host preferences and epidemiology.