High levels of inbreeding with spatial and host-associated structure in lice of an endangered freshwater seal.

ABSTRACT: Host-specialist parasites of endangered large vertebrates are in many cases more endangered than their hosts. In particular, low host population densities and reduced among-host transmission rates are expected to lead to inbreeding within parasite infrapopulations living on single host individuals. Furthermore, spatial population structures of directly-transmitted parasites should be concordant with those of their hosts. Using population genomic approaches, we investigated inbreeding and population structure in a host-specialist seal louse (Echinophthirius horridus) infesting the Saimaa ringed seal (Phoca hispida saimensis), which is endemic to Lake Saimaa in Finland, and is one of the most endangered pinnipeds in the world. We conducted genome resequencing of pairs of lice collected from

SUBMITTER: Virrueta Herrera S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9544963 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature