Illinois Natural History Survey ~h— Identification Notes 3 
Family IXODIDAE 
Hard ticks without warts but often with punctures or fine fingerprint- 
like lines, with each spiracular plate located behind the hind coxa, and with 
the mouth parts attached to the forward part of the body, visible from above, 
fig. l. 
Amblyomma americanum (Linnaeus) 
Lone star tick 
As yet this species has not been found in Illinois, but it may even- 
tually be discovered in the southern part of the state since it occurs in 
neighboring Missouri and in Tennessee. Females have a conspicuous silver- 
colored spot towards the middle of the upper surface of the body; males bear 
several silver-colored streaks scattered over the upper surface. 
The lone star tick has been recorded as feeding on cattle, horses, many 
other animals, even birds, and on man and dogs. According to Dr. Bequaert 
ne it was the first tick from the United States to be mentioned in print 
1739) 
Boophilus annulatus (Say) 
Cattle tick 
Years ago a number of specimens of this tick were collected from cattle 
near Bloomington, Illinois. Since then none has been found in our state. 
Formerly it was widely distributed in the southern part of our country, but 
rigorous control measures have brought it to near extinction in the United 
States. The species still exists in Mexico and possibly also in Puerto Rico, 
and is introduced occasionally from these areas in continental United States. 
The cattle tick is the carrier of an organism which produces the destructive 
Texas cattle fever. 
Dermacentor albipictus (Packard) 
Winter tick, moose tick 
The winter tick is known in Illinois from a number of localities in the 
central and northern half of the state. So far all specimens were collected 
from cattle in November and December, Since most of our records are from 
imported animals it is probable that albipictus is not now a native Illinois 
tick but that it is periodically introduced. There are reports that this 
tick can cause serious losses to cattle and horses. Its wild hosts probably 
are moose, elk (wapiti) and deer. 
Dermacentor albipictus differs from its relative D. variabilis in being 
a one host tick, that is, its entire development from larva to adult takes 
place on one individual mammal. The monograph of the genus Dermacentor by 
Cooley (1938) discusses structural characteristics by which variabilis may be 
separated from albipictus and other related species. Since some of these 
characteristics are subject to variation or require detailed study, it is 
advisable to consult this monograph or a named collection when differentiating 
these species on a morphological basis alone. For practical purposes, the 
identification of variabilis and albipictus in Illinois can be reliably de- 
termined solely on the time of year of their occurrence as indicated in the 
keye 

