Molecular features of Ixodes kazakstani: first results

Ticks of the Ixodes ricinus group are important vectors of human pathogens in both Eurasia and North America; therefore, many studies have focused on their molecular systematics and evolutionary relationships. However, there are species that have not been characterized by molecular genetic methods so far. For the first time, we obtained nucleotide sequences of two nuclear and three mitochondrial genetic markers from four museum specimen of I. kazakstani Olenev et Sorokoumov, 1934, collected in Kyrgyzstan. The phylogenetic analysis showed that I. kazakstani undoubtedly belongs to the I. ricinus group but is not closely related to I. persulcatus, as was expected. Further studies of the genetic features of I. kazakstani, presumably an intermediate between Nearctic and Palearctic species, would elucidate the evolutionary relationships between tick species within the I. ricinus group.