Transcriptome-based phylogeny of ticks of the genus Ixodes
Ticks (Ixodes vespertilionis) were sampled in 2016, on the walls of an ancient artificial cave in a forested area (Grotte de Chanzelles, Maine-et-Loire, France).  This cave is frequented by a colony of lesser horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus hipposideros, inferred host). RNA extraction was performed in 2016 using whole bodies of four unengorged adult females. RNA was  extracted using a NucleoSpin RNA XS column (Macherey-Nagel, Dren, Germany) including a DNase and was stored in RNAsin (Promega, Madison, USA). The library was prepared using the Truseq Stranded kit (v4), and was sequenced on one lane of Illumina HiSeq 2500 along with other tick samples (different species of the genus Ixodes).