Australian paralysis tick
Scientific name: Ixodes holocyclus Neumann, 1899
Overview
Ixodes holocyclus, commonly known as the Australian paralysis tick, is one of about 75 species in the Australian tick fauna and is considered the most medically important. It can cause paralysis by injecting neurotoxins into its host. It is usually found in a 20-kilometre wide band following the eastern coastline of Australia. Within that range, Ixodes holocyclus is the tick most frequently encountered by humans and their pets. Because the same area includes Australia's most densely populated regions, bites on people, pets and livestock are relatively common.
From the Wikipedia article “Ixodes holocyclus”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
The Catalogue of Life records it in: Indonesia, Australia.
Common names
Also known in English as Scrub tick.
Names in other languages (2)
- Arabic
- قراد الشلل الاسترالي
- Turkish
- Avustralya kenesi
Related animals
Sources
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Catalogue of Life — scientific name, classification, common names and range.
Version 2026-09-11, CC BY 4.0.
This species in the Catalogue of Life.
Citation
Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Aedo, C., Aescht, E., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (Version 2026-09-11). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgz5n Source database: TicksBase.
- GBIF — species page and recorded occurrences.
- Wikidata — names in other languages. Q3015043, CC0 1.0.
- Wikipedia — overview, from the article “Ixodes holocyclus”, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo — Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
Last updated: 4 October 2026