Ornithodoros
| Ornithodoros Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Ornithodoros savignyi | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Ixodida |
| Family: | Argasidae |
| Genus: | Ornithodoros C. L. Koch, 1837 |
| Type species | |
| Ornithodoros savignyi Audouin, 1827 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Ornithodoros is a genus in the soft-bodied tick family, Argasidae. It is distinguished from other genera in the family by the absence of a lateral 'suture' line. It is the largest genus within Argasidae, consisting of approximately 130 species. Ornithodoros ticks are parasitic associates of shelter-seeking vertebrates, such as mammals, birds and reptiles.
Prior to its reclassification in 1844, the genus Ornithodoros was described under the genus Argas.