[Teratologic changes complicating taxonomical studies of ticks (Acari: Ixodida)]

Various kinds of morphological anomalies, i.e. general (the changes in the shape and the asymmetry of body, the duplication of body, the nanism, the gigantism and the gynandromorphism), and local (oligomely, atrophy, polimely, heterosymely, symely, schistomely, ectomely, heteromorphose, disturbances in the structure of leg segments, cyclopy) occur in Ixodida. The anomalies within taxonomically important structures make the determination of tick species difficult or even impossible. Therefore, the anomalies deforming systematic features of different instars from Argasidae and Ixodidae families were first of all taken into account.