How does the coloration of the Western female differ from the Eastern I. scapularis female?
Answer
Western female has a distinct orange abdomen adjacent to a darker scutum
When comparing the morphology of the Western Blacklegged Tick (*I. pacificus*) female to its eastern relative (*I. scapularis*), subtle but important color differences exist, assuming the tick is unfed. The Western female displays a specific pattern featuring a brown-black scutum that contrasts sharply with a pronounced orange abdomen. In contrast, the Eastern counterpart’s adult female is generally characterized by being brown to reddish-orange throughout the body, lacking the distinct two-toned pattern seen in the Western species where the abdomen color is so noticeably different from the scutum.
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