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The genus Aponomma is a fairly homogeneous group of species very closely related to Amblyomma. Recently, Horak et al. (2002) included most Aponomma species in the genus Amblyomma. They also described the genus Bothriocroton to include the “primitive” Australian species Ap. auruginans, Ap. concolor, Ap. glebopalma, Ap. hydrosauri, and Ap. decorosum. In this book, the genus Aponomma is understood according to the traditional concept.
Almost all Aponomma species parasitize reptiles, such as snakes, lizards, and tuatara. Only 4 species have adapted to f eed on primitive Australian mammals, the monotremes and marsupials. Although Aponomma is a “reptile” genus, it contains no species feeding on tortoises (there are quite a few such species in the genus Amblyomma). All species of the genus, excluding A. elaphense (in North America), are distributed in the tropical zone of the Old World and Australia. In Australia, they reach the temperate zone and the 40th parallel. In south-eastern Australia, there is a centre of species diversity of the genus Aponomma.
The biology of ticks in this genus is very poorly known. Nymphs and larvae are found on the same hosts as imagines, but considerably less often. It is possible that they can parasitize animals other than reptiles. The developmental cycle is apparently three-host, though according to our observations and literature data, part of larvae and nymphs molt on the body of the host.