Phylogeography of the parasitic mite Laelaps agilis in Western Palearctic shows lineages lacking host specificity but possessing different demographic histories.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Laelaps agilis C.L. Koch, 1836 is one the most abundant and widespread parasitic mite species in the Western Palearctic. It is a permanent ectoparasite associated with the Apodemus genus, which transmits Hepatozoon species via the host's blood. Phylogenetic relationships, genealogy and host specificity of the mite are uncertain in the Western Palearctic. Here, we investigated the population genetic structure of 132 individual mites across Europe from their Apodemus and Clethrionomys hosts. Phylogenetic relationships and genetic variation of the populations were analyzed using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences.

Results

We recovered three main mtDNA lineages within L. agilis in the Western Palearctic, which differentiated between 1.02 and 1.79 mill

SUBMITTER: Nazarizadeh M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10127304 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature