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Molecular phylogeny of oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari): evidence for multiple radiations of parthenogenetic lineages

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Abstract

Nucleotide sequences of the D3 expansion segment and its flanking regions of the 28S rDNA gene were used to evaluate phylogenetic relationships among representative sexual and asexual oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acariformes). The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that oribatid mites consist of species rich clusters of asexual species that may have radiated while being parthenogenetic. Furthermore, the systematic position of the astigmate mites (Astigmata, Acariformes) which have been hypothesised to represent a paedomorphic lineage within the oribatid mites, is investigated. This is the first phylogenetic tree for oribatid mites s.1. (incl. Astigmata) based on nucleotide sequences. Intraspecific genetic variation in the D3 region was very low, confirming the hypothesis that this region is a good species marker. Results from neighbour joining (NJ) and maximum parsimony (MP) algorithms indicate that several species rich parthenogenetic groups like Camisiidae, Nanhermanniidae and Malaconothridae are monophyletic, consistent with the hypothesis that some oribatid mite groups diversified despite being parthenogenetic. The MP and maximum likelihood (ML) method indicated that the D3 region is a good tool for elucidating the relationship of oribatid mite species on a small scale (genera, families) but is not reliable for large scale taxonomy because branches from the NJ algorithm collapsed in the MP and ML tree. In all trees calculated by different algorithms the Astigmata clustered within the oribatid mites, as proposed earlier.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Zoologie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 3, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany

    Mark Maraun, Michael Heethoff, Katja Schneider & Stefan Scheu

  2. Institut für Bodenzoologie und Ökologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Grunewaldstrasse 34, 12165, Berlin, Germany

    Gerd Weigmann

  3. Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 47405, USA

    Jennifer Cianciolo

  4. Department of Zoology, The Natural History Museum London, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD, London, UK

    Richard H. Thomas

  5. Faculty of Environmental and Forest Biology, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA

    Roy A. Norton

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Maraun, M., Heethoff, M., Schneider, K. et al. Molecular phylogeny of oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari): evidence for multiple radiations of parthenogenetic lineages. Exp Appl Acarol 33, 183–201 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:APPA.0000032956.60108.6d

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