Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
Sci Rep. 2017 Oct 13;7(1):13163. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-12735-3.
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) provide a unique opportunity to understand speciation and host-associated divergence in parasites. Recently, two sympatric but genetically distinct lineages of C. lectularius were identified: one associated with humans and one associated with bats. We investigated two mechanisms that could maintain genetic differentiation in the field: reproductive compatibility (via mating crosses) and aggregation fidelity (via two-choice sheltering assays). Effects were assessed at the intra-lineage level (within human-associated bed bugs), inter-lineage level (between human- and bat-associated bed bugs), and inter-species level (between C. lectularius and Cimex pipistrelli [bat bug]). Contrary to previous reports, bed bugs were found to be reproductively compatible at both the intra- and inter-lineage levels, but not at the inter-species level (although three hybrids were produced, one of which developed into an adult). Lineage- and species-specific aggregation fidelity was only detected in 8% (4 out of 48) of the aggregation fidelity assays run. These results indicate that under laboratory conditions, host-associated lineages of bed bugs are reproductively compatible, and aggregation pheromones are not capable of preventing gene flow between lineages.
臭虫（Cimex lectularius）为研究寄生虫物种形成和宿主相关分歧提供了独特的机会。最近，鉴定出两种共生但遗传上不同的 C. lectularius 谱系：一种与人类有关，另一种与蝙蝠有关。我们研究了两种可以在野外维持遗传分化的机制：生殖兼容性（通过交配杂交）和聚集保真度（通过二选一的庇护试验）。在种内水平（与人相关的臭虫内）、种间水平（人相关和蝙蝠相关的臭虫之间）和种间水平（C. lectularius 和 Cimex pipistrelli[蝙蝠臭虫]之间）评估了效应。与之前的报道相反，臭虫在种内和种间水平上都具有生殖兼容性，但在种间水平上不具有生殖兼容性（尽管产生了三个杂交种，其中一个发育成成虫）。仅在 8%（4/48）的聚集保真度试验中检测到谱系和种特异性聚集保真度。这些结果表明，在实验室条件下，与宿主相关的臭虫谱系具有生殖兼容性，聚集信息素不能阻止谱系之间的基因流动。
