We: (i) report the rediscovery of Ixodes ( Sternalixodes ) confusus Roberts, 1960 in Australia; (ii) redescribe the male and female of I. confusus ; (iii) describe the mitochondrial (mt) genome of I . confusus from five ticks from four localities in Far North Queensland; and (iv) present the first substantial phylogeny of the subgenera of the Ixodes . The mt genomes of I. confusus, I. cornuatus, I. hirsti, I. myrmecobii and I. trichosuri are presented here for the first time . In our phylogeny from entire mt genomes (ca. 15 kb), the subgenus Endopalpiger was the sister-group to subgenera Sternalixodes plus Ceratixodes plus Exopalpiger whereas Exopalpiger was the sister to Sternalixodes plus Ceratixodes . [i.e. (( Endopalpiger ) ( Sternalixodes, Ceratixodes and Exopalpiger ))]. Finally, we show that Ixodes anatis , the kiwi tick, may be closely related to the ticks of marsupials of Australia and Papua New Guinea ., Competing Interests: On behalf of my co-authors I declare that we do not have any conflicts of interest to declare., (© 2022 The Authors.)