Integrating coalescent species delimitation with analysis of host specificity reveals extensive cryptic diversity despite minimal mitochondrial divergence in the malaria parasite genus Leucocytozoon.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Coalescent methods that use multi-locus sequence data are powerful tools for identifying putatively reproductively isolated lineages, though this approach has rarely been used for the study of microbial groups that are likely to harbor many unrecognized species. Among microbial symbionts, integrating genetic species delimitation methods with trait data that could indicate reproductive isolation, such as host specificity data, has rarely been used despite its potential to inform species limits. Here we test the ability of an integrative approach combining genetic and host specificity data to delimit species within the avian malaria parasite genus Leucocytozoon in central Alaska.

Results

We sequenced seven nuclear loci for 69 Leucocytozoon samples and used multiple

SUBMITTER: Galen SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6117968 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature