Ixodes ventalloi Gil Collado, 1936: A Vector Role to be Explored

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Abstract
Ixodes Latreille, 1795 is the largest and broadest distributed genus of the family Ixodidae Murray, 1877. Its members are present in all zoogeographic regions, remote islands, and territories close to the poles. Plus, 63 species out of the 244 described have been recorded to feed on humans. Some are mega vectors, as those belonging to Ixodes ricinus-I. persulcatus complex, but others are so poorly studied that their vector role is difficult to access. This is the case of Ixodes ventalloi Gil Collado, 1936. This species is recorded in Northern Africa and Western Europe, mostly in Mediterranean basin countries, occurring along with other moisture-demanding ticks, as Haemaphysalis spp., I. frontalis, and I. ricinus. In fact, I. ventalloi not only shares vertebrate hosts (including humans) with the latter but may as well play a role in the enzootic cycle of some Ixodes-borne agents. This chapter updates information regarding this poorly studied tick, revising the available systematic, ecological, and microbiological data, discussing the potential public health relevance.

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