Multi-Locus Sequence Analysis Indicates Potential Cryptic Speciation in the Chigger Mite Neoschoengastia gallinarum (Hatori, 1920) Parasitising Birds in Asia
Issued Date
2024-03-01
Resource Type
eISSN
20762615
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85188690270
Journal Title
Animals
Volume
14
Issue
6
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Animals Vol.14 No.6 (2024)
Suggested Citation
Rajasegaran P., Koosakulnirand S., Tan K.K., Khoo J.J., Suliman Y., Mansor M.S., Ahmad Khusaini M.K.S., AbuBakar S., Chaisiri K., Morand S., Ya’cob Z., Makepeace B.L. Multi-Locus Sequence Analysis Indicates Potential Cryptic Speciation in the Chigger Mite Neoschoengastia gallinarum (Hatori, 1920) Parasitising Birds in Asia. Animals Vol.14 No.6 (2024). doi:10.3390/ani14060980 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/97819
Title
Multi-Locus Sequence Analysis Indicates Potential Cryptic Speciation in the Chigger Mite Neoschoengastia gallinarum (Hatori, 1920) Parasitising Birds in Asia
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Neoschoengastia gallinarum is widely distributed in Asia, preferentially parasitising birds, and heavy infestations have clinical impacts on domestic fowl. In common with other trombiculid mites, the genetic diversity and potential variation in host preferences or pathology induced by N. gallinarum are poorly understood. This study aimed to unravel the geographical variation and population structure of N. gallinarum collected from galliform birds in Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand by inference from concatenated mitochondrial-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), and nuclear-encoded internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and 18S ribosomal DNA gene sequences, including a comparison with previously published data from southeastern China. Our multi-locus sequence analysis revealed three monophyletic clades comprising (A) specimens from Peninsular Malaysia, (B) the samples from Thailand together with a minority of Chinese sequences, and (C) the majority of sequences from China. Similarly, most species delimitation approaches divided the specimens into three operational taxonomic units. Analysis of molecular variance revealed 96.41% genetic divergence between Malaysian and Thai populations, further supported by the absence of gene flow (Nm = 0.01). In conclusion, despite the two countries sharing a land border, populations of N. gallinarum from Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand appear to be genetically segregated and may represent distinct cryptic species.