Abstract
Two types of information from mitochondrial (mt) genomes may contribute to our understanding of the phylogeny and evolution of ticks and their kin: (i) the nucleotide sequences of these genomes, or at least the nucleotide sequences of the 13 protein-coding genes and 2 rRNA genes, which together constitute 13 - 13.5 kb; and (ii) idiosyncratic markers. Translocations and inversions of genes are the best known idiosyncratic markers. Duplications of genes and parts of genes, and changes to the secondary structures of tRNAs and rRNAs are other types of idiosyncratic markers (Murrell et al. 2003). Here, we review progress in the study of the mt genomes of ticks and their kin, and present for the first time the mt genomes of Ambylomma triguttatum and Ornithodoros porcinus.