A new subfamily, Bothriocrotoninae n. subfam., for the genus Bothriocroton Keirans, King & Sharrad, 1994 status amend. (Ixodida : Ixodidae), and the synonymy of Aponomma Neumann, 1899 with Amblyomma Koch, 1844

Evidence suggesting polyphyly of the traditionally recognised tick genus Aponomma Neumann, 1899 is summarized. Continued recognition of this genus in its current concept leaves a polyphyletic genus Aponomma and a paraphyletic genus Amblyomma Koch, 1844. To improve the correlation between our understanding of phylogenetic relationships in metastriate ticks and their classification, a few changes in classification are proposed. The members of the 'indigenous Australian Aponomma' group (sensu Kaufman, 1972), A. auruginans Schulze, 1936, A. concolor Neumann, 1899, A. glebopalma Keirans, King & Sharrad, 1994, A. hydrosauri (Denny, 1843) and A. undatum (Fabricius, 1775), are transferred to Bothriocroton Keirans, King & Sharrad, 1994, which is raised to full generic rank. The remaining members of Aponomma are transferred to Amblyomma. Uncertainty remains on relationships of Bothriocroton to other metastriate lineages and on the systematic position of the two species formerly included in the 'primitive Aponomma' group, A. elaphense Price, 1959 and A. sphenodonti Dumbleton, 1943.

Synonymy of Boophilus Curtice, 1891 with Rhipicephalus Koch, 1844 (Acari : Ixodidae)

Recent molecular and morphological studies of the genera Rhipicephalus Koch, 1844 and Boophilus Curtice, 1891 revealed that the five species of Boophilus make the genus Rhipicephalus paraphyletic. Thus, Rhipicephalus Koch, 1844 is not a monophyletic ( natural) lineage and some species of Rhipicephalus are more closely related to the species of Boophilus than to other species of Rhipicephalus. Here, we revise these genera: Boophilus is synonymised with Rhipicephalus, and Rhipicephalus ( sensu lato) ( including Boophilus) is redefined. By synonymising Boophilus with Rhipicephalus, we have changed the nomenclature so that it reflects our understanding of the phylogeny of these ticks. Boophilus is retained as a subgenus of Rhipicephalus, so the synonymy of Boophilus with Rhipicephalus does not result in the loss of the name Boophilus. In addition, Rhipicephalus is a well- known genus and the change proposed is simple - all five species of Boophilus become members of Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus).