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The observations of morphological abnormalities, including nanism, missing leg, extra leg, and gynandromorphism, have been reported in these ticks. In this study, we report the presence of two anuses in a laboratory-reared <jats:italic>I. scapularis<\/jats:italic> nymph.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Larval ticks were allowed to feed on mice and to molt to nymphs. Two anuses were observed in one of the freshly molted nymphs. Stereo and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of two anuses in one nymph within a single anal groove.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>This report confirms the rare occurrence of double anus in <jats:italic>I. scapularis<\/jats:italic>.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Graphical Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                \n              <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-021-04757-8","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,11]],"date-time":"2021-05-11T11:04:57Z","timestamp":1620731097000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Double anus in an Ixodes scapularis nymph, a medically important tick vector"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Vikas","family":"Taank","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Frank A.","family":"Lattanzio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hameeda","family":"Sultana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Girish","family":"Neelakanta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,11]]},"reference":[{"issue":"3","key":"4757_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"169","DOI":"10.1007\/s00005-014-0324-8","volume":"63","author":"G Neelakanta","year":"2015","unstructured":"Neelakanta G, Sultana H. Transmission-blocking vaccines: focus on anti-vector vaccines against tick-borne diseases. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz). 2015;63(3):169\u201379. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00005-014-0324-8.","journal-title":"Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz)"},{"key":"4757_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Wikel SK. Ticks and tick-borne infections: complex ecology, agents, and host interactions. Vet Sci. 2018;5(2):60. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/vetsci5020060.","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci5020060"},{"issue":"2","key":"4757_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.1016\/j.idc.2007.12.006","volume":"22","author":"JF Anderson","year":"2008","unstructured":"Anderson JF, Magnarelli LA. Biology of ticks. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2008;22(2):195\u2013215. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.idc.2007.12.006.","journal-title":"Infect Dis Clin North Am."},{"key":"4757_CR4","first-page":"463","volume":"2","author":"LG Neumann","year":"1899","unstructured":"Neumann LG. 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The Old Dominion University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC, Animal Welfare Assurance Number: A3172-01) protocol 19\u2013009 was used in mice experiments. Acepromazine tranquilizer was administered to the animals before handling to minimize anxiety and\/or discomfort, and all efforts were made to minimize suffering.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"251"}}