1 The kidneys are used to remove excess water and ions from the blood. 2  These are then expelled as urine. 3  The kidneys perform a vital role in homeostatic regulation in mammals, removing excess water, salt, and urea from the blood.
Ectoparasites Parasites that live on the outside of the host, either on the skin or the outgrowths of the skin, are called ectoparasites. They are directly transmitted between hosts.
Along with mites, they constitute the subclass Acari. Ticks are ectoparasites (external parasites), living by feeding on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians. Ticks had evolved by the Cretaceous period, the most common form of fossilisation being immersed in amber.