How many legs do the newly hatched larvae of Ixodes pacificus possess?
Answer
Six legs
The newly hatched larvae represent the smallest stage in the four-stage life cycle of the Western Blacklegged Tick. Unlike the subsequent nymph and adult stages, which have eight legs, the larval stage is defined by possessing only six legs. These tiny individuals, measuring less than 1 millimeter, actively quest in the leaf litter waiting for their initial host, which is commonly a small mammal, bird, or lizard, before undergoing a molt to reach the nymph stage.
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