How does female Ixodidae distinction relate to their scutum structure when engorged?
Answer
Females can greatly distend their bodies when engorged due to fixed scutum position
The Family Ixodidae, the hard ticks, exhibits a specific morphological constraint related to the scutum that affects feeding behavior, particularly in females. While males possess scuta that cover their entire dorsal surface, preventing significant body expansion, females have a scutum that is fixed only over a portion of their back. This partial coverage allows the female body beneath it to greatly distend as she engorges on blood. This ability to achieve massive size increase during feeding is a distinguishing characteristic of the Ixodidae family when compared to other tick groups where external coverings might limit distension.
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