A collection of ixodoid ticks at the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Its unique features and significance for fundamental problems of taxonomy and some aspects of natural nidality

The paper describes the unique qualities of the collection of ixodoid ticks kept at the Zoological Institute RAS (St. Petersburg), which distinguish it among the world collections: the presence of representative geographic series within the species ranges, comprising all the active development stages. The fundamental and applied results achieved based on the properties of this collection are briefly summarized. Its contribution to the studies of different aspects of natural nidality of ticks is analyzed. The topical lines of research conducted on the basis of the collection at present and in future are considered. © Pleiades Publishing, Inc., 2010.