Promiscuous specialists: Host specificity patterns among generalist louse flies.
Ectoparasites such as louse flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) have tendency for host specialization, which is driven by adaptation to host biology as well as competition avoidance between parasites of the same host. However, some louse fly species, especially in genera attacking birds, show wide range...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2021-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0247698 |
| _version_ | 1819038612311769088 |
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| author | Aleksi Lehikoinen Pekka Pohjola Jari Valkama Marko Mutanen Jaakko L O Pohjoismäki |
| author_facet | Aleksi Lehikoinen Pekka Pohjola Jari Valkama Marko Mutanen Jaakko L O Pohjoismäki |
| author_sort | Aleksi Lehikoinen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ectoparasites such as louse flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) have tendency for host specialization, which is driven by adaptation to host biology as well as competition avoidance between parasites of the same host. However, some louse fly species, especially in genera attacking birds, show wide range of suitable hosts. In the presented study, we have surveyed the current status of bird specific louse flies in Finland to provide comprehensive host association data to analyse the ecological requirements of the generalist species. A thorough sampling of 9342 birds, representing 134 species, recovered 576 specimens of louse flies, belonging to six species: Crataerina hirundinis, C. pallida, Ornithomya avicularia, O. chloropus, O. fringillina and Ornithophila metallica. Despite some overlapping hosts, the three Ornithomya species showed a notable pattern in their host preference, which was influenced not only by the host size but also by the habitat and host breeding strategy. We also provide DNA barcodes for ten Finnish species of Hippoboscidae, which can be used as a resource for species identification as well as metabarcoding studies in the future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:40:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b68d689a21814a0582276c0698951906 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:40:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-b68d689a21814a0582276c06989519062022-12-21T19:09:59ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-01165e024769810.1371/journal.pone.0247698Promiscuous specialists: Host specificity patterns among generalist louse flies.Aleksi LehikoinenPekka PohjolaJari ValkamaMarko MutanenJaakko L O PohjoismäkiEctoparasites such as louse flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) have tendency for host specialization, which is driven by adaptation to host biology as well as competition avoidance between parasites of the same host. However, some louse fly species, especially in genera attacking birds, show wide range of suitable hosts. In the presented study, we have surveyed the current status of bird specific louse flies in Finland to provide comprehensive host association data to analyse the ecological requirements of the generalist species. A thorough sampling of 9342 birds, representing 134 species, recovered 576 specimens of louse flies, belonging to six species: Crataerina hirundinis, C. pallida, Ornithomya avicularia, O. chloropus, O. fringillina and Ornithophila metallica. Despite some overlapping hosts, the three Ornithomya species showed a notable pattern in their host preference, which was influenced not only by the host size but also by the habitat and host breeding strategy. We also provide DNA barcodes for ten Finnish species of Hippoboscidae, which can be used as a resource for species identification as well as metabarcoding studies in the future.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0247698 |
| spellingShingle | Aleksi Lehikoinen Pekka Pohjola Jari Valkama Marko Mutanen Jaakko L O Pohjoismäki Promiscuous specialists: Host specificity patterns among generalist louse flies. PLoS ONE |
| title | Promiscuous specialists: Host specificity patterns among generalist louse flies. |
| title_full | Promiscuous specialists: Host specificity patterns among generalist louse flies. |
| title_fullStr | Promiscuous specialists: Host specificity patterns among generalist louse flies. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Promiscuous specialists: Host specificity patterns among generalist louse flies. |
| title_short | Promiscuous specialists: Host specificity patterns among generalist louse flies. |
| title_sort | promiscuous specialists host specificity patterns among generalist louse flies |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0247698 |
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