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Ixodes bocatorensis n. sp. (Acari: Ixodidae), is described based on adults ex agoutis (Rodentia: Dasyproctidae), pacas (Rodentia: Cuniculidae) and "tapir and sloth" (Perissodactyla: Tapiridae and Pilosa) from Colombia, Panama and Venezuela. Adults of I. bocatorensis n. sp. are similar to those of I. lasallei Méndez & Ortiz, 1958 but can be distinguished by the scutum dimensions, punctation pattern, gnathosoma and palpi measurements and their ratios, basis capituli anterior angle and shape of the spur of palpal segment I ventrally. For comparative purposes the female of I. lasallei is redescribed and the true male of this species is described for the first time. Studied adults of I. lasallei were found on agoutis, pacas and ocelot (Carnivora: Felidae) in Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.

The male of Ixodes tapirus Kohls, 1956 (Acari: Ixodidae) is described for the first time and the female is redescribed in greater detail. Adults of I. tapirus are similar to those of Ixodes guatemalensis Kohls, 1956, Ixodes lasallei Méndez & Ortiz, 1958, Ixodes montoyanus Cooley, 1944 and Ixodes venezuelensis Kohls, 1953 but can be distinguished by their overall size, the amount of sclerotisation of the conscutum and accessory plates, the shape of the scutum, the number of punctations and their pattern on the conscutum and scutum, the depth of the punctations on the basis capituli dorsally, the shape and size of the porose areas and the size and shape of the auriculae. Adults of I. tapirus were collected from tapirs and vegetation in the mountains of Colombia, Panama and recorded from Costa Rica for the first time.

Brown dog ticks morphologically identifiable as Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, are distributed world-wide and their systematics is controversial. Results of genetic and reproductive compatibility studies of geographically distinct populations of R. sanguineus s.l. indicate that the R. sanguineus complex is paraphyletic. To further elucidate systematic relationships within R. sanguineus s.l. and geographic boundaries of its lineages, we conducted a phylogeographical study of 136 tick specimens from 23 countries. Voucher specimens were morphologically identified. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using concatenated partial mitochondrial 12S and 16S rDNA gene sequences and analyzed by the Neighbor-Joining method. A set of 19 bioclimatic variables within the WorldClim dataset were extracted and analyzed to assess correlations between distribution of R. sanguineus s.l. lineages and climatic variables. The following four branches are clearly recognized on the phylogenetic tree: R. sanguineus s.l.-tropical and temperate clades, R. leporis, and R. turanicus. DNA sequences of Rhipicephalus ticks from Israel differ from those of other groups. Strong association between geographical locations of major clades of R. sanguineus s.l. and temperature was identified. The tropical clade of R. sanguineus s.l. occupies areas with the annual mean temperature >20 °C, whereas the temperate clade is present in areas with the annual mean temperature <20 °C. Our results indicate that ticks in two closely related phylogenetic clades are adapted to different environmental conditions and support proposals for re-classification of R. sanguineus complex. Differences in R. sanguineus s.l. ecology and human/animal pathogens transmitted by different taxa of brown dog tick need to be studied.

Recent reexamination of collection lots stored in the United States National Tick Collection revealed adult specimens of Dermacentor compactus Neumann, 1901 (Acari: Ixodidae) reared from field-collected nymphs, which allowed us to associate field-collected unidentified nymphs and larvae with this species. Nymphs of D. compactus can be easily distinguished from those of other congeneric species by the shape of the scutum and spiracular plate, the hypostome dentition, and the size of the spurs on the coxae. Larvae of this species can be distinguished by the shape and sculpture of the scutum, the shape of basis capituli, the absence of auriculae, and the size of the spurs on coxae II and III. Both nymphs and larvae feed mostly on various species of squirrels (Rodentia: Sciuridae). Considerably fewer nymphs and larvae were found on murid rodents (Rodentia: Muridae), domestic dogs (Carnivora: Canidae), and a snake (Squamata: Colubridae).

Dermacentor tamokensis n. sp. and Dermacentor pseudocompactus n. sp. (Acari: Ixodidae) are described based on adults ex wild boar and vegetation from China, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam and males ex wild boar from Nepal, respectively. Adults of D. tamokensis n. sp. are similar to those of D. taiwanensis Sugimoto, 1935 and D. atrosignatus Neumann, 1906 but can be distinguished by the colour pattern of the conscutum and scutum, the size and density of punctations on the pseudoscutum and scutum, the width of the cornua, and the shape of female genital structures. Males of D. pseudocompactus n. sp. are most similar to those of D. compactus Neumann, 1901 but can be distinguished by the colour pattern, sculpture and punctations of the conscutum, and the shape and length of the coxal spurs.

Examination of extensive Dermacentor Koch, 1844 holdings stored in several major tick collections allowed us to re-evaluate the taxonomic content of Dermacentor everestianus Hirst, 1926 and redescribe all of its parasitic stages in detail for the first time. Examination of the type specimens of Dermacentor abaensis Teng, 1963 , a species treated as valid by most workers, and Dermacentor birulai Olenev, 1927 , a species some recent authors considered as valid, led us to the conclusion that they are junior synonyms of D. everestianus. The relation of D. everestianus with some other species in the genus is questionable and warrants further studies. From possibly sympatric Dermacentor species, the adults of D. everestianus can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: intensive ivory colored ornamentation of conscutum and scutum, absence of brown patches on lateral fields of conscutum in the male, long and narrow dorsal prolongation of spiracular plates, short cornua, short dorsal spur on trochanter I, and absence of large ventral spur on distal ends of genua and tibiae II-IV. Nymphs of D. everestianus can be distinguished by numerous setae on alloscutum (>48 pairs), large spiracular plates with their longitudinal diameter exceeding that of sclerotized ring around anal valves, moderate lateral projections of basis capituli with blunt apices situated slightly posterior to the midlength of basis capituli dorsally, relatively large auriculae, relatively short, narrowly rounded at apices spurs on coxae I with internal spur being shorter than external and moderate triangular spur on coxae IV; while larvae can surprisingly easily be distinguished from those of other species found in the region by greatly elongated posterior portion of scutum where eyes are situated just posterior to the midlength of scutum. So far, D. everestianus is found only in China and Nepal, where the adults were collected from domestic and wild ungulates while the immature stages were recorded from lagomorphs and rodents.

The first representative of the subgenus Helvetoraeticus Bauernfeind & Soldán, 2012, from the Caucasus Mountains, Ecdyonurus (Helvetoraeticus) adjaricus sp. nov., is described on the basis of larvae, female imago (reared from larva) and male imago from the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Georgia. The male imago of the new species can be separated from other representatives of Helvetoraeticus by its conspicuous yellowish wings coloration (especially of hind wings) and the shape of the penis lobes. The larva has a distinctive broad and apically pointed lateral projection on the pronotum, pointed bristles on the ventral side of the posterior border of the femora and markedly long, sharp posterolateral expansions of abdominal sterna. This last character is unique within Helvetoraeticus. The new species is most closely related to E. krueperi (Stein, 1863).