Linking coevolutionary history to ecological process: doves and lice

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Biology
• Parasitology
• Genetics

Background:

• Host-specific parasites face ecological barriers limiting their range.
• Parasite specificity and genetic structure can influence macroevolutionary patterns.
• Few studies integrate micro- and macroevolutionary analyses in host-parasite systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the macroevolutionary histories of two feather louse genera parasitizing New World pigeons and doves.
• To investigate the relationship between host specificity, population genetic structure, and coevolutionary patterns.
• To explore how dispersal ability influences host-parasite coevolutionary trajectories.

Main Methods:

• Reconstruction of phylogenetic trees for two louse genera (Physconelloides and Columbicola) and their avian hosts using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA.
• Comparative phylogenetic reconciliation analyses to assess cospeciation events.
• Comparison of host specificity and population genetic structure between body and wing lice.

Main Results:

• Phylogenetic analyses were well-resolved and supported.
• Dove body lice (Physconelloides) showed strong evidence of cospeciation with their hosts.
• Dove wing lice (Columbicola) did not exhibit significant cospeciation.
• Body lice displayed higher host specificity and greater population genetic structure than wing lice.

Conclusions:

• Differences in dispersal ability likely explain variations in host specificity, genetic structure, and coevolutionary history between body and wing lice.
• Cospeciation is strongly influenced by parasite dispersal capabilities, even with similar ecological niches.
• This study highlights the interplay of microevolutionary factors and macroevolutionary outcomes in host-parasite systems.