Phylogenetic position of the acariform mites: sensitivity to homology assessment under total evidence.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mites (Acari) have traditionally been treated as monophyletic, albeit composed of two major lineages: Acariformes and Parasitiformes. Yet recent studies based on morphology, molecular data, or combinations thereof, have increasingly drawn their monophyly into question. Furthermore, the usually basal (molecular) position of one or both mite lineages among the chelicerates is in conflict to their morphology, and to the widely accepted view that mites are close relatives of Ricinulei.

Results

The phylogenetic position of the acariform mites is examined through employing SSU, partial LSU sequences, and morphology from 91 chelicerate extant terminals (forty Acariformes). In a static homology framework, molecular sequences were aligned using their secondary structure as

SUBMITTER: Pepato AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2933639 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature