Phylogenetics and population genetics of the louse fly, Lipoptena mazamae, from Arkansas, U.S.A.

Abstract

Louse flies, also known as deer keds (Lipoptena mazamae Rondani), infest cervids such as white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus and vector pathogens such as Anaplasma and Bartonella schoenbuchensis to cattle and humans, respectively. The population genetic structure of 30 L. mazamae collected from white-tailed deer in four regions of Arkansas, U.S.A., designated by county boundaries, was examined using DNA sequences of a 259-bp region of the mitochondrial DNA rRNA 16S gene. Of the 259 nucleotide characters, 33 were variable and 6 haplotypes were identified. Two haplotypes occurred only once (haplotype 3 and 4), whereas two other haplotypes occurred in 43% (haplotype 1 in two regions) and 40% (haplotype 6 in three regions) of the samples. Phylogenetic relationships of the six L. mazamae haplotypes were constructed with other Hippoboscid and Glossinid samples and two clades resulted. Clade 1 was located in the north and western Ozarks whereas clade 2 was found in the northern and eastern Ozarks. Results from the present study indicate that Lipoptena may be a polyphyletic genus; consequently, more research into genetic variation within this genus is necessary.

Detection of Candidatus Bartonella odocoilei n. sp. in Lipoptena mazamae associated with white‐tailed deer in Campeche, Mexico

“…Few sequences are available to aid with their molecular identification or genetic diversity although according to the ML analysis, the sequences obtained in this study were similar to sequences from U.S.A. and represented a new haplotype, increasing the genetic diversity of this group. Since L. mazamae is a blood‐sucking parasite that could feed on different hosts, more studies into genetic variation are necessary to prove its role as a vector of disease agents, to identify potential areas of high risk for pathogen transmission ( Bartonella and other pathogens), and to understand the epidemiology, host economic impact, and control (Trout et al ., 2010; Graciolli et al ., 2011).…”