10.5061/DRYAD.6G181
Engelbrecht, Adriaan
Stellenbosch University
Matthee, Sonja
Stellenbosch University
du Toit, Nina
Stellenbosch University
Matthee, Conrad
Stellenbosch University
Matthee, Conrad A.
Stellenbosch University
Data from: Limited dispersal in an ectoparasitic mite, Laelaps giganteus,
contributes to significant phylogeographic congruence with their rodent
hosts, Rhabdomys
Dryad
dataset
2015
TropoM
JANE
CORE-PA
codivergence
2015-12-21T19:23:13Z
2015-12-21T19:23:13Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.13523
13970954 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
To explore how biogeography, parasite life history and host vagility
influences evolutionary codivergences, we followed a comparative
phylogeography approach using a host specific non-permanent mite, Laelaps
giganteus that occurs on four rodent species within the genus Rhabdomys. A
mtDNA COI haplotype network derived for 278 parasite specimens showed
marked phylogeographic congruence with host distributions. Analysis of the
less variable nuclear intron Tropomyosin was in part consistent with these
results. Although distance-based cophylogenetic analyses in AXPARAFIT
failed to support significant mtDNA codivergences (P ≥ 0.02), event-based
analyses revealed significant cophylogeny between sampling localities of
Rhabdomys and Laelaps using CORE-PA (P = 0.046) and JANE (P = 0.026; P =
0.00). These findings, in conjunction with the weak congruence previously
reported among the permanent ectoparasitic lice Polyplax and Rhabdomys,
suggest that host-parasite intimacy is not the most important driver of
significant codivergence in our study system. Instead the more restricted
dispersal ability of L. giganteus, when compared to Polyplax, resulted in
stronger spatial structuring and this could have resulted in significant
codivergence. Host switching occurred predominantly on the edges of host
distributions and was probably facilitated by climate-induced range
shifts. When host ranges shift, the phylogeographic structure of L.
giganteus is not reflecting the host movements since most of the nest
bound parasites do not disperse with the host (they miss the boat) and the
genetic contribution of the few dispersing mite individuals is often
overwhelmed by the large number of individuals already present in nests
within the new environment (causing them to drown on arrival).
Dryad filesAll Bayesian analysis, TCS files and coevolution analysis files
for both gene fragments are included.