Fig. 3

Ontogenetic switch of host for the species of Ixodes recorded in the Neotropical region. Bars in A indicate the change of the value of phylogenetic diversity in either the molt larva-nymph (L-N) or nymph-adult (N-A). A value of 0 means “no change” and a value of 1 means “twice value.” Species are sorted in decreasing order after the value for the nymph-adult molt. An alluvial chart is displayed in B, showing the “flow” of records of hosts for the consecutive stages in the tick’s life cycle. The width of the bands is proportional to the percent of records of ticks that switch families of vertebrates as hosts between two consecutive stages; this chart is intended as visual information on the ontogenetic switch of hosts