Systematics
The ticks belong to the athropodes and form the group of Schmarotzermilben.
These are found worldwide as blood sucking ectoparasites of vertebrates
which serve as hosts. Many kinds of ticks change hosts.
There are two families of ticks, the hard ticks (Ixodidae) which
have a hard shield on their backs, and the soft ticks (Argasidae),
whose backs look like leather. Their fangs are drawn in under their back.
Ixodes ricinus, the most reknown European tick, belongs to the family of
hard ticks. Being a blood-sucker it can transfer infectious agents causing
different kinds of diseases to animals and people. Early-Summer-Menigo-Encephalitis
(ESME) and Borreliosis are examples for infectious diseases of people transfered
by Ixodes ricinus.
Argas reflexus is a kind of soft ticks that is found as a parasite of birds.
Systematics of the wood tick (Ixodes ricinus):
Phylum: Arthropodes (Arthropoda)
Class: Spiders Arachnida
Order: Mites (Acari)
Family: Scale ticks (Ixodidae)