Department of Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska Str. 5b, 51-631, Wrocław, Poland.
Landscape Ecology Team, Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska Str. 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland.
Exp Appl Acarol. 2023 Sep;91(1):1-27. doi: 10.1007/s10493-023-00824-0. Epub 2023 Aug 8.
Trombiculid mites were collected from the edible dormouse (Glis glis) within the Carpathian-Balkan distribution gradient of host species. Representatives of five genera (Leptotrombidium, Neotrombicula, Brunehaldia, Hirsutiella, Schoutedenichia) and 10 species of chiggers were discovered in the material, based on morphological and/or molecular data. Brunehaldia, new to the fauna of Greece, was recorded for the first time from the edible dormouse. Neotrombicula talmiensis was new to the fauna of Greece and Neotrombicula vulgaris was new to the fauna of North Macedonia. Successful amplification and sequencing of COI was carried out in relation to three genera and six species. The intraspecific variation of taxa hitherto distinguished based on morphological criteria was juxtaposed with molecular data, using the distance method and the phylogenetic approach. The molecular methods indicated wider than hitherto recognized, intraspecific morphological variation for Leptotrombidium europaeum and N. talmiensis. On the other hand, an inference limited to morphology proved to be insufficient for species delineation, which was confirmed by the relatively low identity (%) of examined COI sequences as well as the size of inter-/intraspecific K2P distance threshold. Our study provides support for integrative taxonomy that combines different sources of evidence and contributes to recognition of the scope of intraspecific variation. The high degree of hidden diversity revealed with the application of molecular tools, votes for a careful approach to the identification of chiggers. The confirmed cases of co-invasion, including the representatives of various genera (Leptotrombidium and Neotrombicula, Brunehaldia and Neotrombicula, Neotrombicula and Schoutedenichia, Hirsutiella and Schoutedenichia) additionally support the need to include all larvae found on a given host specimen in the identification process.
从喀尔巴阡山脉-巴尔干山脉分布梯度的食虫睡鼠（Glis glis）中收集到恙螨。根据形态学和/或分子数据，在材料中发现了五个属（Leptotrombidium、Neotrombicula、Brunehaldia、Hirsutiella、Schoutedenichia）和 10 种恙螨。Brunehaldia 是希腊动物群中的新记录，首次从食虫睡鼠中记录到。Neotrombicula talmiensis 是希腊动物群中的新记录，Neotrombicula vulgaris 是北马其顿动物群中的新记录。成功地对 COI 进行了扩增和测序，涉及三个属和六个种。将基于形态学标准区分的种内变异与分子数据并列，使用距离法和系统发育方法。分子方法表明，Leptotrombidium europaeum 和 N. talmiensis 的种内形态变异比以往认识的更广泛。另一方面，仅基于形态学的推断被证明不足以进行物种划定，这一点得到了所检查的 COI 序列的相对低同一性（%）以及检验的种内/种间 K2P 距离阈值的大小的证实。我们的研究为整合分类学提供了支持，这种分类学结合了不同的证据来源，并有助于认识种内变异的范围。应用分子工具揭示的高度隐藏多样性，为谨慎对待恙螨鉴定提供了支持。包括各种属（Leptotrombidium 和 Neotrombicula、Brunehaldia 和 Neotrombicula、Neotrombicula 和 Schoutedenichia、Hirsutiella 和 Schoutedenichia）的共同入侵实例进一步支持了在鉴定过程中应包括在给定宿主标本上发现的所有幼虫的必要性。
