Tick species identification

Gulf Coast tick

What to look for

Long mouthparts and ornate pale markings; adults are often found on larger animals and people.

Gulf coast tick photo

Compare more than color alone. Sex, life stage, feeding, angle, and lighting can change what the markings look like.

Adult male Gulf Coast tick with ornate pale lines across a reddish-brown back — Adult male. Ornate pale lines cover the back; note the long mouthparts at the front. Photo: Christopher Paddock and James Gathany, CDC PHIL #10878, public domain.

Known disease associations

— Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis

Finding this species does not mean the tick carried a pathogen or that transmission occurred.

Photos need context

Feeding, life stage, image angle, and damage can change how a tick looks. A useful identification weighs several visible traits together and states uncertainty when the photo does not show enough detail.

References: CDC tick information.