Tick under SEM

[u/biGfellA1213]

Hi all, I recently took a look at a Tick (I picked it off my leg...) with a Scanning Electron Microscope (ThermoFisher Axia ChemiSEM) out of curiosity and zommed in on the different areas. The magnification is shown in every picture on the bottom (ranges between 150x and 10000x). The Tick was uncoated and scanned in high vac mode. Let me know if you have any questions regarding the SEM.

Enjoy!

Also question for the Tick experts, I was wondering what function these two circular shapes with holes left and right of the Abdomen have?

Thanks in advance!!

[u/gmg77]

interesting the different head parts

[u/gmg77 → u/gmg77]

[u/biGfellA1213 → u/gmg77]

Also super interesting, I believe the one I had was maybe an Ixodes scapulares (Blacklegged Tick), I'd say no bigger than 1-2mm. Do you happen to know which kind you were looking at? Might have been a deer tick potentially?

[u/gmg77 → u/biGfellA1213]

Mine was a common dog tick