Introduction Methodology CHAPTER 1 - Prostriata. Genus Ixodes: this chapter contains data on the original descriptions and redescriptions, geographic distribution, hosts, human parasitism and comments for each of the 54 species of Neotropical Ixodes, together with a table and general summary of the status of this genus in the Neotropical Region. CHAPTER 2 - Metastriata. Genus Amblyomma: this chapter contains data on the original descriptions and redescriptions, geographic distribution, hosts, human parasitism and comments for each of the 67 species of Neotropical Amblyomma, together with a table and general summary of the status of this genus in the Neotropical Region. CHAPTER 3 - Metastriata. Genera Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis and Rhipicephalus: this chapter contains data on the original descriptions and redescriptions, geographic distribution, hosts, human parasitism and comments for each of the 15 Neotropical species comprising these three genera, together with a table and general summary of the status of these genera in the Neotropical Region. CHAPTER 4 - Geographic distributions, invasive species, and incorrect names applied to Neotropical ixodids: in this chapter the geographic distribution of hard ticks is discussed on a country basis and with respect to subregions of the Neotropical Zoogeographic Region, highlighting differences in the ixodid fauna throughout the region. The chapter includes a list of invasive species of Ixodidae detected in the Neotropics that apparently failed to become established, along with a lengthy but not exhaustive list of names incorrectly applied to ixodids found in Neotropical territories. CHAPTER 5 - Animal and human parasitism, and list of hosts of Neotropical Ixodidae: this chapter begins with an analysis of the roles of the classes, orders, families and species of hosts for Neotropical Ixodidae, and their importance as hosts of these ticks, accompanied by a synopsis for each class of host. There follows a discussion of host utilization by the different genera of Ixodidae in the Neotropical Region, including peculiarities of host-tick associations with comments related to their hypothetical historical backgrounds. This chapter also discusses human parasitism by Neotropical hard ticks, concluding with a list of hosts arranged by class, order, family and species, annotated to include the tick life history stages found on each host species. Conclusions References
