Gnathosoma of Ixodes canisuga and I. kaiseri nymphs (dorsal views – upper panels, ventral views – lower panels) collected from Meles meles in Slovakia. Ixodes canisuga – anteriorly flattened basis capituli (a); dorsally absence of cornua (b); long, moderately thick auricular ridge (c). Ixodes kaiseri: cornua well developed (b); short, thin auricular ridge (c); anteriorly rounded, sclerotized protuberance on palpal segment I (d).