Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Phylogeny, evolution and historical zoogeography of ticks: a review of recent progress

  • Chapter
Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens

Abstract

There has been much progress in our understanding of the phylogeny and evolution of ticks, particularly hard ticks, in the past 5 years. Indeed, a consensus about the phylogeny of the hard ticks has emerged. Our current working hypothesis for the phylogeny of ticks is quite different to the working hypothesis of 5 years ago. So that the classification reflects our knowledge of ticks, several changes to the nomenclature of ticks are imminent. One subfamily, the Hyalomminae, will probably be sunk, yet another, the Bothriocrotoninae n. subfamily, will be created. Bothriocrotoninae n. subfamily, and Bothriocroton n. genus, are being created to house an early-diverging (‘basal’) lineage of endemic Australian ticks that used to be in the genus Aponomma (ticks of reptiles). There has been progress in our understanding of the subfamily Rhipicephalinae. The genus Rhipicephalus is almost certainly paraphyletic with respect to the genus Boophilus. Thus, the genus Boophilus will probably become a subgenus of Rhipicephalus. This change to the nomenclature, unlike other options, will keep the name Boophilus in common usage. Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus may still called B. microplus, and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus may still be called B. annulatus, but the nomenclature will have been changed to reflect our knowledge of the phylogeny and evolution of these ticks. New insights into the historical zoogeography of ticks will also be presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Balashov, Y.S. 1994. Importance of continental drift in the distribution and evolution of Ixodid ticks. Entomol. Rev. 73: 42–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barker, S.C. 1998. Distinguishing species and populations of rhipicephaline ticks with its 2 ribosomal RNA. J. Parasitol. 84: 887–892.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beati, L. and Keirans, J.E. 2001. Analysis of the systematic relationships among ticks of the genera Rhipicephalu.s and Boophilus (Acari: Ixodidae) based on mitochondrial 12S ribosomal DNA gene sequences and morphological characters. J. Parasitol. 87: 32–48.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Black, W.C. and Piesman, J. 1994. Phylogeny of hard-and soft-tick taxa (Acari: Ixodida) based on mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences. P. Natl. Acad. Sei. USA 91: 10034–10038.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Black, W.C. and Roehrdanz, R.L. 1998. Mitochondrial gene order is not conserved in arthropods: prostriate and metastriate tick mitochondrial genomes. Mol. Biol. Evol. 15: 1772–1785.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Black, W.C., Klompen, J.S.H. and Keirans. J.E. 1997. Phylogenetic relationships among tick subfamilies based on the 18S nuclear rDNA gene. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 7: 129–144.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borges, L.M., Labruna, M.B.. Linardi. P.M. and Ribeiro. M.F. 1998. Recognition of the tick genus Anocentor Schulze. 1937 (Acari: Ixodidae) by numerical taxonomy. J. Med. Entomol. 35: 891–894.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Camicas, J.-L.. Hervy, J.-P.. Adam. F. and Morel, P.-C. 1998. Les Tiques du monde. Nomenclature, stades decrits. holes. repartition. The Ticks of the World. Nomenclature, Described Stages, Hosts, Distribution (Acarida, Ixodida ). Orstom Editions, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, N.J. and Barker. S.C. 1998. An unprecedented major rearrangement in an arthropod mitochondrial genome. Mol. Biol. Evol. 15: 1786–1787.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, N.J.H. and Barker, S.C. 1999. The novel mitochondrial gene arrangement of the cattle tick, Boophilus in/crop/us: fivefold tandem repetition of a coding region. Mol. Biol. Evol. 16: 732–740.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caporale, D.A., Rich. S.M., Spielman. A.. Telford III. S.R. and Kocher. T.D. 1995. Discriminating between hotle.s ticks by means of mitochondrial DNA sequences. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 4: 361–365.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, C.B. and Moore. P.D. 1993 Biogeography: An Ecological and Evolutionary Approach. Blackwell Science. Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crampton, A., McKay. I. and Barker. S.C. 1996. Phylogeny of ticks (Ixodida) inferred from nuclear ribosomal DNA. Int. J. Parasitol. 26: 511–517.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crosbie, P.R., Boyce, W.M. and Rodwell. T.C. 1998. DNA sequence variation in Dennacentor hunteri and estimated phylogenies of Dermacentor spp. (Acari: Ixodidae) in the New World. J. Med. Entomol. 35: 277–288.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De La Fuente. J., Garcia-Garcia. J.C.. Gonzalez, D.M.. Izquierdo, G. and Ochagavia, M.E. 2000. Immunological control of ticks through vaccination with Boophilus microplus gut antigens. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 916: 617–621.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dobson, S.J. and Barker. S.C. 1999. Phylogeny of the hard ticks (Ixodidae) inferred from 18S rRNA indicates that the genus Apouonuna is paraphyletic. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 11: 288–295.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Filippova, N.A. 1993. Ventral skeleton of male of Ixodid ticks of the subfamily Amblyomminae, its evolution and role for supergeneric taxonomy. Parazitologiya 27: 3–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Filippova, N.A. 1994. Classification of the subfamily Amblyomminae (Ixodidae) in connection with re-investigation of chaetotaxy of the anal valve. Parazitologiia 28: 3–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fukunaga, M., Yabuki, M., Hamase, A.. Oliver, J.H. and Nakao. M. 2000. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Ixodid ticks based on the ribosomal DNA spacer, internal transcribed spacer 2, sequences. J. Parasitol. 86: 38–43.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoogstraal, H. 1978. Biology of ticks. In: Tick-borne Diseases and Their Vectors, pp. 3–14. Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Edinburgh.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoogstraal, H. and Aeschlimann, A. 1982. Tick-host specificity. B. Soc. Entomologique Suisse 55: 5–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutcheson, H.J., Oliver Jr., J.H., Houck, M.A. and Strauss. R.E. 1995. Multivariate morpho-metric discrimination of nymphal and adult forms of the blacklegged tick (Acari: Ixodidae), a principal vector of the agent of Lyme disease in eastern North America. J. Med. Entomol. 32: 827–842.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman, T.S. 1972. A Revision of the Genus Aponomnia Neumann, 1899 (Acarina: Ixodidae), pp. 389. University of Maryland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klompen, J.S.H. 1992. Comparative morphology of argasid larvae (Acari: Ixodida: Argasidae), with notes on phylogenetic relationships. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 85: 541–560.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klompen, J.S.H. 1996. Phylogenetic relationships in the family Ixodidae with emphasis on the genus Ixodes (Parasitiformes: Ixodidae). In: Acarology IX: Symposia. G.R. Needham. R. Michell, D.J. Horn and W.C. Welbourn (eds). pp. 349–354. Ohio Biological Survey. Columbus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klompen, J.S.H. and Grimaldi, D. 2001. First mesozoic record of a parasitiform mite: a larval argasid tick in Cretaceous amber (Acari: Ixodida: Argasidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 94: 10–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klompen, J.S.H. and Oliver Jr.. J.H. 1993. Systematic relationships in the soft ticks (Acari: Ixodida: Argasidae). Syst. Entomol. 18: 313–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klompen, J.S.H., Black, W.C.. Keirans. J.E. and Oliver Jr., J.H. 1996. Evolution of ticks. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 41: 141–161.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klompen, J.S.H., Oliver Jr., J.H. and Keirans, J.E. and Homsher. P.J. 1997. A re-evaluation of relationships in the Metastriata (Acari: Parasitiformes: Ixodidae). Syst. Parasitol. 38: 1–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klompen, J.S.H., Black IV, W.C., Keirans, J.E. and Norris. D.E. 2000. Systematics and biogeography of hard ticks, a total evidence approach. Cladistics 16: 79–2000.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klompen, J.S.H., Dobson, S.J. and Barker, S.C. A new subfamily. Bothriocrotoninae n. subfam., for the genus Bothriocroton Keirans. King, Sharrad. 1994 n. status (Ixodida: Ixodidae), and synonymy of Apon000na Neumann. 1899 with Amhl y ounnna Koch, 1844. Syst. Parasitol. (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Krantz. G.W. 1978. A Manual of Acarology. Oregon State University. Corvallis, Oregon. Lane, R.S. and Poinar, G.O. 1986. First fossil tick (Acari: Ixodidae) in new world amber. Int. J. Acarol. 12: 75–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehtinen, P.T. 1991. Phylogeny and zoogeography of the Holothyrida. In: Modern Acarology. pp. 101–113. Academia. Prague and SPB Academic Publishing by.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mangold, A.J., Bargues, M.D. and Mas-Coma. S. 1998a. 18S rRNA gene sequences and phylogenetic relationships of European hard-tick species (Acari: Ixodidae). Parasitol. Res. 60: 31–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mangold, A.J., Bargues, M.D. and Mas-Coma. S. 1998b. Mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences and phylogenetic relationships of species of Rhipicephalus and other tick genera among Metastriata (Acari: Ixodidae). Parasitol. Res. 84: 478–484.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McLain, D.K., Wesson, D.M., Collins. F.H. and Oliver Jr.. J.H. 1995a. Evolution of the rDNA spacer, ITS 2, in the ticks Ixocle.c scapularis and I. pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae). Heredity 75: 303–319.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McLain, D.K., Wesson, D.M., Oliver Jr., J.H. and Collins, F.H. 1995b. Variation in ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers I among eastern populations of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae). J. Med. Entomol. 32: 353–360.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murrell, A. and Barker, S.C. Synonymy of Boophilus Curtice. 1891 and Rhipicephalus Koch, 1844; Boophilus is a derived group within Rhipicephalus. Syst. Parasitol. (submitted).

    Google Scholar 

  • Murrell, A., Campbell, N.J.H. and Barker. S.C. 1999. Mitochondria) 12S rDNA indicates that the Rhipicephalinae (Acari: Ixodida) is paraphyletic. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 12: 83–86.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murrell, A., Campbell, N.J.H. and Barker, S.C. 2000. Phylogenetic analyses of the rhipicephaline ticks indicate that the genus Rhipicephalus is paraphyletic. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 16: 1–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murrell, A., Campbell, N.J.H. and Barker. S.C. 2001a. A total-evidence phylogeny of ticks provides insights into the evolution of life cycles and biogeography. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 21: 244–258.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murrell, A., Campbell, N.J.H. and Barker, S.C. 2001b. Recurrent gains and losses of large (84–109 bp) repeats in the rDNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of rhipicephaline ticks. Insect Mol. Biol. 10: 587–596.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Norris, D.E., Klompen, J.S.. Keirans, J.E. and Black. W.C. 1996. Population genetics of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) based on mitochondrial 16S and 12S genes. J. Med. Entomol. 33: 78–89.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Norris, D.E., Klompen, J.S., Keirans, J.E., Lane, R.S., Piesman, J. and Black, W.C. 1997. Taxonomic status of Ixodes neotomae and I. spinipalpis (Acari: Ixodidae) based on mitochondria] DNA evidence. J. Med. Entomol. 34: 696–703.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Norris, D.E., Klompen, J.S.H., Black. W.C. 1999. Comparison of the mitochondria] 12S and 16S ribosomal DNA genes in resolving phylogenetic relationships among hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 92: 117–129.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver, J.H. 1989. Biology and systematics of ticks (Acari: Ixodida). Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 20: 397–430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rich, S.M., Caporale, D.A., Telford III, S.R., Kocher, T.D., Hartl. D.L. and Spielman, A. 1995. Distribution of the Ivodes ricinus-like ticks of eastern North America. P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92: 6284–6288.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rich, S.M., Rosenthal, B.M., Telford, S.R.I., Spielman, A., Hartl, D.L. and Ayala, F.J. 1997. Heterogeneity of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) region within individual deer ticks. Insect Mol. Biol. 6: 123–129.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stothard. D.R. and Fuerst, P.A. 1995. Evolutionary analysis of the spotted fever and typhus groups of Rickettsia using I6S rRNA gene sequences. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 18: 52–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, J.B., Keirans, J.E. and Horak, I.G. 2000. The Genus Rhipicephalus (Acari, Ixodidae). A Guide to the Brown Ticks of the World. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walter, D.E. and Proctor, H.C. 1998. Feeding behaviour and phylogeny: observations on early derivative Acari. Exp. Appl. Acarol. 22: 39–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walter, D.E. and Proctor, H.C. 1999. Mites: Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour. University of NSW Press, Sydney.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wesson, D.M. and Collins, F.H. 1992. Sequence and secondary structure of 5.8S rRNA in the tick, Ixodes scapularis. Nucleic Acids Res. 20: 11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wesson, D.M., McLain, D.K., Oliver. J.H., Piesman, J. and Collins, F.H. 1993. Investigation of the validity of species status of Ivodes danunini (Acari: Ixodidae) using rDNA. P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90: 10221–10225.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zahler, M., Filippova. N.A.. Morel, P.C., Gothe. R. and Rinder, H. 1997. Relationships between species of the Rhipicephalus sanguineus group: a molecular approach. J. Parasitol. 83: 302–306.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Institute for Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Qld., Australia

    Stephen C. Barker & Anna Murrell

Authors
  1. Stephen C. Barker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anna Murrell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephen C. Barker .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Frans Jongejan (Scientific Program Chair TTP 4) (Scientific Program Chair TTP 4)

  2. University of Pretoria, South Africa

    Frans Jongejan (Scientific Program Chair TTP 4) (Scientific Program Chair TTP 4)

  3. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    W. Reuben Kaufman (Conference Chair) (Conference Chair)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Barker, S.C., Murrell, A. (2003). Phylogeny, evolution and historical zoogeography of ticks: a review of recent progress. In: Jongejan, F., Kaufman, W.R. (eds) Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3526-1_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3526-1_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-6355-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-3526-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation