Ixodes ovatus Neumann, 1899

Ixodes ovatus is found from Japan westward to northeastern India and Nepal, including Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR (Robbins et al. 1997) and Vietnam (Hoogstraal et al. 1973a; Kolonin 1992, 2009). Filippova (1977) considers this tick to be a representative of the Sino-Himalayan subregion of the Palearctic Region.

Adults infest a range of large wild and domestic mammals and frequently attack humans (Sakai et al. 1976; Yamaguti and Takada 1981; Heath and Hardwick 2011). Immature stages are found predominantly on rodents.

Ixodes ovatus occurs in a wide range of habitats, from low altitudes to 5,000 m above sea level (Fujimoto and Yamaguti 1987; Hoogstraal et al. 1973a). As there are structural differences characteristic of each developmental stage that are dependent on geographical location (Hoogstraal et al. 1973a), this taxon may represent a species complex. It is thus in need of revision (Guglielmone et al. 2009) . Biological and ecological data for this species are available for Japanese populations (Fujisaki et al. 1976; Fujimoto 1990, 1987; Fujimoto et al. 1986; Fujimoto and Yamaguti 1990; Kakuda et al. 1989).

All life history stages are illustrated in Yamaguti et al. (1971) and Hoogstraal et al. (1973a).