Phylogeography of (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida: Pennellidae) indicates interoceanic dispersal mediated by cetacean and fish hosts.

Copepods of the genus parasitize a wide range of marine animals, including cetaceans, teleosts, and cephalopods worldwide. Their taxonomy is unclear, as there is incongruence between morphological and genetic data and incomplete species coverage. This study provides new morphological and genetic (COI) data from 23 specimens of cf.

Repeated Successful Nest Sharing and Cooperation Between Western Kingbirds () and a Female Western Kingbird × Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher () Hybrid.

Nest sharing by birds, or the phenomenon where multiple individuals of different species contribute genetically and parentally to offspring in a single nest, is a rare form of cooperative breeding that has only occasionally been reported in socially monogamous birds. Here we describe, both behaviorally and genetically, the unique case of two female birds, a western kingbird () and a western kingbird × scissor-tailed flycatcher () hybrid, simultaneously occupying (and likely co-incubating eggs in) a single nest. Both females provisioned nestlings, and they did this in two consecutive years (producing four fledglings each year).

Purifying selection drove the adaptation of mitochondrial genes along with correlation of gene rearrangements and evolutionary rates in two subfamilies of Whitefly (Insecta: Hemiptera).

Insect mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) are usually represented by a conserved gene order. Whiteflies exhibit gene rearrangement in their mitogenomes; however, understanding how nucleotide substitution rates shape gene rearrangement in whiteflies is unclear due to the limited number of mitogenomes. Additionally, the mechanisms by which selection pressure drives adaptations in mitochondrial genes in the two subfamilies of whiteflies are not yet known.

Mitochondrial genome fragmentation is correlated with increased rates of molecular evolution.

While mitochondrial genome content and organization is quite diverse across all Eukaryotes, most bilaterian animal mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) exhibit highly conserved gene content and organisation, with genes typically encoded on a single circular chromosome. However, many species of parasitic lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) are among the notable exceptions, having mitogenomes fragmented into multiple circular chromosomes. To better understand the process of mitogenome fragmentation, we conducted a large-scale genomic study of a major group of lice, Amblycera, with extensive taxon sampling.

Genomic data reveal unexpected relatedness between a brown female Eastern Bluebird and her brood.

Because plumage coloration is frequently involved in sexual selection, for both male and female mate choice, birds with aberrant plumage should have fewer mating opportunities and thus lower reproductive output. Here we report an Eastern Bluebird () female with a brown phenotype that raised a brood of four chicks to fledging. The brown female and her mate were only related to their social offspring to the second degree and one of the offspring was a half-sibling.

Prevalence and diversity of parasitic bird lice (Insecta: Psocodea) in northeast Arkansas.

Many groups of parasites lack basic information on biodiversity and host associations, which poses challenges for conservation and understanding the ecological relationships between hosts and their parasites. This gap in knowledge is particularly relevant for parasitic species with obscure lifestyles. Ectoparasitc bird lice (Insecta: Psocodea: Phthiraptera) are a group of parasites that has received a relatively substantial research focus, yet patterns of bird-louse relationships and louse diversity remain understudied in many geographic regions, including in parts of the southeastern United States.

Dispersal-Limited Symbionts Exhibit Unexpectedly Wide Variation in Host Specificity.

A fundamental aspect of symbiotic relationships is host specificity, ranging from extreme specialists associated with only a single host species to generalists associated with many different species. Although symbionts with limited dispersal capabilities are expected to be host specialists, some are able to associate with multiple hosts. Understanding the micro- and macro-evolutionary causes of variations in host specificity is often hindered by sampling biases and the limited power of traditional evolutionary markers.

Draft genome assemblies of the avian louse Brueelia nebulosa and its associates using long-read sequencing from an individual specimen.

Sequencing high molecular weight (HMW) DNA with long-read and linked-read technologies has promoted a major increase in more complete genome sequences for nonmodel organisms. Sequencing approaches that rely on HMW DNA have been limited to larger organisms or pools of multiple individuals, but recent advances have allowed for sequencing from individuals of small-bodied organisms. Here, we use HMW DNA sequencing with PacBio long reads and TELL-Seq linked reads to assemble and annotate the genome from a single individual feather louse (Brueelia nebulosa) from a European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris).

Independent evolution of highly variable, fragmented mitogenomes of parasitic lice.

The mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of bilaterian animals are highly conserved structures that usually consist of a single circular chromosome. However, several species of parasitic lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) possess fragmented mitogenomes, where the mitochondrial genes are present on separate, circular chromosomes. Nevertheless, the extent, causes, and consequences of this structural variation remain poorly understood.

High levels of inbreeding with spatial and host-associated structure in lice of an endangered freshwater seal.

Host-specialist parasites of endangered large vertebrates are in many cases more endangered than their hosts. In particular, low host population densities and reduced among-host transmission rates are expected to lead to inbreeding within parasite infrapopulations living on single host individuals. Furthermore, spatial population structures of directly-transmitted parasites should be concordant with those of their hosts.

Long-distance dispersal of pigeons and doves generated new ecological opportunities for host-switching and adaptive radiation by their parasites.

Adaptive radiation is an important mechanism of organismal diversification and can be triggered by new ecological opportunities. Although poorly studied in this regard, parasites are an ideal group in which to study adaptive radiations because of their close associations with host species. Both experimental and comparative studies suggest that the ectoparasitic wing lice of pigeons and doves have adaptively radiated, leading to differences in body size and overall coloration.

Recovery and analysis of ancient beetle DNA from subfossil packrat middens using high-throughput sequencing.

The study of ancient DNA is revolutionizing our understanding of paleo-ecology and the evolutionary history of species. Insects are essential components in many ecosystems and constitute the most diverse group of animals. Yet they are largely neglected in ancient DNA studies.

Structure, gene order, and nucleotide composition of mitochondrial genomes in parasitic lice from Amblycera.

Parasitic lice have unique mitochondrial (mt) genomes characterized by rearranged gene orders, variable genome structures, and less AT content compared to most other insects. However, relatively little is known about the mt genomes of Amblycera, the suborder sister to all other parasitic lice. Comparing among nine different genera (including representative of all seven families), we show that Amblycera have variable and highly rearranged mt genomes.

Comparing rates of introgression in parasitic feather lice with differing dispersal capabilities.

Organisms vary in their dispersal abilities, and these differences can have important biological consequences, such as impacting the likelihood of hybridization events. However, there is still much to learn about the factors influencing hybridization, and specifically how dispersal ability affects the opportunities for hybridization. Here, using the ecological replicate system of dove wing and body lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera), we show that species with higher dispersal abilities exhibited increased genomic signatures of introgression.

Phylogenomics of Parasitic and Nonparasitic Lice (Insecta: Psocodea): Combining Sequence Data and Exploring Compositional Bias Solutions in Next Generation Data Sets.

The insect order Psocodea is a diverse lineage comprising both parasitic (Phthiraptera) and nonparasitic members (Psocoptera). The extreme age and ecological diversity of the group may be associated with major genomic changes, such as base compositional biases expected to affect phylogenetic inference. Divergent morphology between parasitic and nonparasitic members has also obscured the origins of parasitism within the order.

Combining Nuclear and Mitochondrial Loci Provides Phylogenetic Information in the Philopterus Complex of Lice (Psocodea: Ischnocera: Philopteridae).

The Philopterus Complex includes several lineages of lice that occur on birds. The complex includes the genera Philopterus (Nitzsch, 1818; Psocodea: Philopteridae), Philopteroides (Mey, 2004; Psocodea: Philopteridae), and many other lineages that have sometimes been regarded as separate genera. Only a few studies have investigated the phylogeny of this complex, all of which are based on morphological data.

Lousy grouse: Comparing evolutionary patterns in Alaska galliform lice to understand host evolution and host-parasite interactions.

Understanding both sides of host-parasite relationships can provide more complete insights into host and parasite biology in natural systems. For example, phylogenetic and population genetic comparisons between a group of hosts and their closely associated parasites can reveal patterns of host dispersal, interspecies interactions, and population structure that might not be evident from host data alone. These comparisons are also useful for understanding factors that drive host-parasite coevolutionary patterns (e.

Mitochondrial genomes of feather lice are highly fragmented, indicating repeated evolution of minicircle-type genomes in parasitic lice.

Most animals have a conserved mitochondrial genome structure composed of a single chromosome. However, some organisms have their mitochondrial genes separated on several smaller circular or linear chromosomes. Highly fragmented circular chromosomes ("minicircles") are especially prevalent in parasitic lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera), with 16 species known to have between nine and 20 mitochondrial minicircles per genome.

Extensive radiation of feather lice on tinamous.

Tinamous host the highest generic diversity of lice of any group of birds, as well as hosting representatives of all four avian feather louse ecomorphs. Although the generic diversity of tinamou feather lice is well documented, few attempts have been made to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships among these lice. To test whether tinamou feather lice form a monophyletic group as a whole, we used whole-genome sequencing to estimate a higher-level phylogeny of tinamou feather lice, together with a broad diversity of other avian feather louse groups.

Rearrangement and evolution of mitochondrial genomes in Thysanoptera (Insecta).

Prior to this study, complete mitochondrial genomes from Order Thysanoptera were restricted to a single family, the Thripidae, resulting in a biased view of their evolution. Here we present the sequences for the mitochondrial genomes of four additional thrips species, adding three extra families and an additional subfamily, thus greatly improving taxonomic coverage. Thrips mitochondrial genomes are marked by high rates of gene rearrangement, duplications of the control region and tRNA mutations.

Extensive host-switching of avian feather lice following the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction event.

Nearly all lineages of birds host parasitic feather lice. Based on recent phylogenomic studies, the three major lineages of modern birds diverged from each other before the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction event. In contrast, studies of the phylogeny of feather lice on birds, indicate that these parasites diversified largely after this event.

Fully automated sequence alignment methods are comparable to, and much faster than, traditional methods in large data sets: an example with hepatitis B virus.

Aligning sequences for phylogenetic analysis (multiple sequence alignment; MSA) is an important, but increasingly computationally expensive step with the recent surge in DNA sequence data. Much of this sequence data is publicly available, but can be extremely fragmentary (i.e.

The role of parasite dispersal in shaping a host-parasite system at multiple evolutionary scales.

Parasite dispersal can shape host-parasite interactions at both deep and shallow timescales. One approach to understanding the effects of dispersal is to study parasite lineages that differ in dispersal capability but are from the same group of hosts. In this study, we compared phylogenetic and population genetic patterns of wing and body lice from ground-doves.