Abstract
Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed that some apparently oligoxenous feather mite species are in fact monoxenous cryptic species with little morphological differentiation. In this study we analyzed two species, Zachvatkinia isolata (Avenzoariidae) and Alloptes (Sternalloptes) stercorarii (Alloptidae) which prefer different parts of the plumage of two sister species of birds: arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus) and long-tailed skua (S. longicaudus) breeding on tundra in the High Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. Given that there are no reports about hybridization events between the host species, we expected that both skuas would have a species-specific acarofauna. The genetic distances among DNA-barcode sequences (COI and 28S rDNA), phylogenetic tree topologies, and haplotype networks of the COI sequences of mites suggested extensive gene flow in Z. isolata between and within populations inhabiting both skua species, whereas the Alloptes populations were host specific and sufficiently genetically separated as to warrant species-level status. The discrepancy in the genetic structure of Alloptes and Zachvatkinia populations suggests frequent but transient contacts between the two skua species in which the probability of mite exchange is much higher for Zachvatkinia, which is present in high numbers and inhabits exposed parts of primary flight feathers, than for the less abundant Alloptes that lives primarily in more protected and inaccessible parts of the plumage. We discuss the possible nature of these contacts between host species and the area(s) where they might take place. The star-like structures in the haplotype network as well as high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity observed in Z. isolata are concordant with the known dispersal strategy of feather mites: vertical colonization of new host individuals followed by rapid growth of founder populations.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10493-014-9856-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Feather mites (Actinotrichida; Analgoidea and Pterolichoidea) are a group of over 2,400 named species of highly specialized plumage and skin ectocommensals present on every recent bird order, including the penguins (Gaud and Atyeo 1996; Proctor and Owens 2000; Proctor 2003; Dabert 2005; Mironov and Proctor 2008).Feather mites are variously adapted for surviving in specific microhabitats on a bird’s body, i.e. down feathers, the vane surface of contour feathers, the interior of the quills or shafts of flight and tail feathers, and the surface of the skin or subcutaneous layers (Dabert and Mironov 1999; Proctor 2003)
Zachvatkinia isolata was commonly present on both skua species (92 and 97 % of the arctic skua and long-tailed skua acarofauna, respectively)
The second feather mite species, Z. stercorarii, was found in small numbers (\1 % within the total feather mites counted). We found this species on two individuals of arctic skua, one individual captured in 2010 and a second bird captured in 2011 (T02p)
Summary
Feather mites (Actinotrichida; Analgoidea and Pterolichoidea) are a group of over 2,400 named species (from a total of 12,000–16,000 probable species) of highly specialized plumage and skin ectocommensals present on every recent bird order, including the penguins (Gaud and Atyeo 1996; Proctor and Owens 2000; Proctor 2003; Dabert 2005; Mironov and Proctor 2008).Feather mites are variously adapted for surviving in specific microhabitats on a bird’s body, i.e. down feathers, the vane surface of contour feathers, the interior of the quills or shafts of flight and tail feathers, and the surface of the skin or subcutaneous layers (Dabert and Mironov 1999; Proctor 2003). The mites inhabiting vanes are the most common and most varied in body shape among feather mites They display complex morphological adaptations to living in strong air-flows and the incessant movement caused by reciprocal friction of feathers during flight. The most common morphological adaptations include a strongly dorso-ventrally flattened and sclerotized body, and well developed membranous foot discs (ambulacra) that act as hold-fast organs (Dabert and Mironov 1999). These mites live predominantly on the ventral surface of the contour feathers (usually flight feathers) in narrow corridors between barbs
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