Evolution of diversity and host specificity in Spinturnicid mites

• Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Jorge A. Encarnação
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Evolution, Anthropologie
• Förderung: Förderung von 2011 bis 2013
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 212153082

Wing mites of the genera Spinturnix are hematophagous ectoparasites found exclusively on the wing membranes of bats. Due to their low dispersal ability, parasite ecology and evolution are strongly influenced by host behaviour, physiology and evolution. Our current knowledge about diversity and hence host specificity of Spinturnicid mites is based on morphological descriptions of species. Since some species differ only statistically, assignment of individual mites to a species is often not possible. This results in a degree of uncertainty about diversity and host specificity. Hence, our first hypothesis is that 1) morphospecies do not represent monophyletic groups of mites. We will focus on a selected group of sympatric bat hosts and their wing mites. We expect that in those species contact between bat hosts occurs and therefore transmission of mites is common. Based on this assumption, we hypothesize, that 2) frequent transmission in the past counteracted cospeciation by maintaining gene flow between mites. Speciation in wing mites is a result of adaptation of “host races” to preferred hosts, not cospeciation. 3) Ongoing transmission of wing mites between different host species results in generalist species, which are not restricted to one host. However, as a result of host preference, we expect the majority of mites found on one host belonging to one lineage.This study will acquire fundamental knowledge of Spinturnix diversity and hence host specificity by identification of monophyletic groups of mites and their distribution. Coevolution in parasite host associations is more complex than can be explained by cospeciation alone. We will identify causal mechanisms underlying the processes which drive parasite diversity. In particular we are interested, if parasite cospeciate with their hosts and if host ecology plays a role as a factor of isolation and transmission of parasites.

• DFG-Verfahren: Sachbeihilfen