Phylogeny and systematics of mammal-associated psoroptidian mites (Acariformes:Astigmata:Psoroptidia) derived from external morphology

Abstract

We used morphological characters to explore the phylogeny of mammal-associated psoroptidian mites. In both maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses, the clades uniting Psoroptoidea and Analgoidea–Sarcoptoidea (higher Psoroptidia) were strongly supported, and monophyly of most sarcoptoid families was confirmed. However, the relationships among families of the higher Psoroptidia (Analgoidea and Sarcoptoidea) remained poorly resolved. Two most parsimonious trees were obtained after successive weighting. In these trees, higher Psoroptidia split into two main clusters with Sarcoptoidea in the traditional sense shown as diphyletic. Cluster I consists of two superfamilies: Analgoidea, including Dermationidae, and Psoroptoidea, stat. res.: Psoroptoidinae (Turbinoptidae–Paracoroptinae); (Pandalurinae (Pyroglyphidae–Lobalgidae); Paralgopsidae, stat. nov.–Ptyssalgidae (Epidermoptidae–Psoroptidae). Cluster II consists of the superfamily Sarcoptoidea represented by two lineages: Listropsoralgidae, stat. nov. (Myocoptidae (Rhyncoptidae–Sarcoptidae)) and Dromiciocoptidae, stat. nov. ((Listrophoridae–Atopomelidae) (Chirodiscidae (Gastronyssidae (Pneumocoptidae–Lemurnyssidae)))). We hypothesised that mites of the superfamilies Pterolichoidea, Analgoidea and Psoroptoidea have independently colonised birds with subsequent ancestral shifts of the families Lobalgidae and Psoroptidae and subfamily Paracoroptinae from birds to mammals. Mites of the superfamily Sarcoptoidea switched from nidicoly to parasitism on ancestors of therian mammals and evolved exclusively on this host group.