Genetic variation is predominantly structured by geography rather than host in feather mites (Acariformes: Sarcoptiformes) associated with tanagers (Aves: Thraupidae) in Brazil

Luiz Gustavo de A. Pedroso; Pavel B. Klimov; Fabio A. Hernandes

doi:10.37486/2675-1305.ec03044

Authors

Luiz Gustavo de A. Pedroso Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9129-1362
Pavel B. Klimov Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Zoology Research Museums Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, /Tyumen State University, Tyumen/Bangor University, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9966-969X
Fabio A. Hernandes Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, CCB/ECZ, Trindade, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3504-2609

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37486/2675-1305.ec03044

Keywords:

cryptic species, biogeography, symbionts, coevolution, Psoroptidia

Abstract

Feather mites are the most common ectosymbionts on birds. These obligatory symbionts are mainly transmitted during their host’s parental care, which creates high host specificity. Due to this intimate relationship, it is thought that their geographic distribution is restricted by their host distribution, or that a host species harbors the same mite composition across its whole range. However, our knowledge regarding the geographic distribution of feather mites remains scarce, with only a few studies indicating disconnections between mite and host distributions, especially in widespread hosts. Here, we investigate the feather mites distribution on four tanager species, three widespread – Thraupis sayaca (L.), T. palmarum (Wied), and Stilpnia cayana (L.) from Northern and Southern Brazil; and the Amazonian T. episcopus (L.). Feather mites were identified using the molecular barcode marker COX-1 using K2P genetic distances. We found a strong genetic structure between Northern and Southern populations of tanagers of more than 10%, even among conspecific hosts. Therefore, the mite distribution on Brazilian tanagers is predominantly shaped by geography rather than by host species. These features in turn reflect historical horizontal transmissions among the hosts, suggesting a high potential for frequent host switches in these symbionts.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Batalha-Filho, H.; Fjeldså, J.; Fabre, P.-H.; Miyaki, C. Y. (2013) Connections between the Atlantic and the Amazonian forest avifaunas represent distinct historical events. Journal of Ornithology, 154: 41-50. doi: 10.1007/s10336-012-0866-7

Dabert, J. (2004) Feather mites (Astigmata; Pterolichoidea, Analgoidea) and birds as models for cophylogenetic studies. Phytophaga, 14: 409-424.

Dabert, J.; Mironov, S. V. (1999) Origin and evolution of feather mites. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 23: 437-454.

Doña, J.; Diaz-Real, J.; Mironov, S.; Bazaga, P.; Serrano, D.; Jovani, R. (2015) DNA barcoding and minibarcoding as a powerful tool for feather mite studies. Molecular Ecology Resources, 15: 1216-1225. doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.12384

Gaud, J. (1992) Acquisition d’hotes nouveaux par les Acariens plumicoles. Bulletin de la Société Française de Parasitologie, 10: 79-91.

Gaud, J.; Atyeo, W. T. (1996) Feather mites of the world (Acarina, Astigmata): The supraspecific taxa - Part I (text). Annales du Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale, Sciences Zoologiques, 277: 1-193.

Grossi, A.; Proctor, H. (2021) Variation in ectosymbiont assemblages associated with rock pigeons (Columba livia) from coast to coast in Canada. Diversity, 13: 1-18. doi: 10.3390/d13010009

Klimov, P .B.; Mironov, S. V.; OConnor, B. M. (2017) Detecting ancient codispersals and host shifts by double dating of host and parasite phylogenies: Application in proctophyllodid feather mites associated with passerine birds. Evolution, 71: 2381-2397. doi: 10.1111/evo.13309

Klimov, P. B.; OConnor, B. M. (2008) Origin and higher-level relationships of psoroptidian mites (Acari: Astigmata: Psoroptidia): Evidence from three nuclear genes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 47: 1135-1156. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2007.12.025

Ledo, R. M. D.; Colli, G. R. (2017) The historical connections between the Amazon and the Atlantic Forest revisited. Journal of Biogeography, 44: 2551-2563. doi: 10.1111/jbi.13049

Matthews, A. E.; Klimov, P. B.; Proctor, H. C.; Dowling, A. P. G.; Diener, L.; Hager, S. B.; Larkin, J. L.; Raybuck, D. W.; Fiss, C. J.; McNeil, D. J.; Boves, T. J. (2018) Cophylogenetic assessment of New World warblers (Parulidae) and their symbiotic feather mites (Proctophyllodidae). Journal of Avian Biology, 49: 1-17. doi: 10.1111/jav.01580

Meléndez, L.; Laiolo, P.; Mironov, S.; García, M.; Magaña, O.; Jovani, R. (2014) Climate-driven variation in the intensity of a host-symbiont animal interaction along a broad elevation gradient. PLoS One, 9: 1-11. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101942

Pacheco, J. F.; Silveira, L. F.; Aleixo, A.; Agne, C. E.; Bencke, G. A.; Bravo, G.A.; Brito, G. R. R.; Cohn-Haft, M.; Maurício, G. N.; Naka, L. N., et al. (2021) Annotated checklist of the birds of Brazil by the Brazilian Ornithological Records Committee-second edition. Ornithology Research, 29: 94-105. doi: 10.1007/s43388-021-00058-x

Paradis, E.; Schliep, K. (2019) Ape 5.0: An environment for modern phylogenetics and evolutionary analyses in R. Bioinformatics, 35: 526-528. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/bty633

Pedroso, L. G. A.; Hernandes, F. A. (2016) New records of feather mites (Acariformes: Astigmata) from non-passerine birds (Aves) in Brazil. Check List, 12: doi: 10.15560/12.6.2000

Puillandre, N.; Lambert, A.; Brouillet, S.; Achaz, G. (2012) ABGD, Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery for primary species delimitation. Molecular Ecology, 21: 1864-1877. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2011.05239.x

Santos, A. M. M.; Cavalcanti, D. R.; Da Silva, J. M. C.; Tabarelli, M. (2007) Biogeographical relationships among tropical forests in north-eastern Brazil. Journal of Biogeography, 34: 437-446. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2006.01604.x

Sobral-Souza, T.; Lima-Ribeiro, M. S.; Solferini, V. N. (2015) Biogeography of Neotropical Rainforests: past connections between Amazon and Atlantic Forest detected by ecological niche modeling. Evolutionary Ecology, 29: 643-655. doi: 10.1007/s10682-015-9780-9

Thomé, M. T. C.; Sequeira, F.; Brusquetti, F.; Carstens, B.; Haddad, C. F. B.; Rodrigues, M. T.; Alexandrino, J. (2016) Recurrent connections between Amazon and Atlantic forests shaped diversity in Caatinga four-eyed frogs. Journal of Biogeography, 43: 1045-1056. doi: 10.1111/jbi.12685

Valim, M. P.; Hernandes, F. A.; Proctor, H. C. (2011) Feather mites of Brazil (Acari: Astigmata: Analgoidea and Pterolichoidea). International Journal of Acarology, 37: 293-324. doi: 10.1080/01647954.2010.519719

Werneck, F. P.; Costa, G. C.; Colli, G. R.; Prado, D. E.; Sites Jr, J. W. (2011) Revisiting the historical distribution of Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests: new insights based on palaeodistribution modelling and palynological evidencegeb. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 20: 272-288. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00596.x