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New Spiroplasma in parasitic Leptus mites and their Agathemera walking stick hosts from Argentina

Emily DiBlasi1, Solon Morse, Jason R Mayberry

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, United States. diblasi.emily@gmail.com

Journal of Invertebrate Pathology
|May 19, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Spiroplasma bacteria were found in parasitic Leptus mites and their walking stick hosts in Argentina. These findings suggest a potential role for these mites in the natural transmission of Spiroplasma.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Parasitology
  • Entomology

Background:

  • Spiroplasma are known insect endosymbionts.
  • Leptus mites are parasitic ectoparasites.
  • Walking sticks (Agathemera) are herbivorous insects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and phylogenetic relationships of Spiroplasma in Leptus mites and Agathemera walking stick hosts.
  • To determine the prevalence of Spiroplasma in these host populations.
  • To explore the potential role of Leptus mites in Spiroplasma transmission.

Main Methods:

  • Detection of Spiroplasma 16S rRNA using molecular techniques.
  • Phylogenetic analyses (Maximum Likelihood, Bayesian 것입니다) to determine Spiroplasma relationships.
  • Surveys of mite and host populations across Argentina.

Main Results:

  • Spiroplasma 16S rRNA was detected in Leptus sayi and Leptus lomani mites, and in the gut and muscle tissues of their Agathemera walking stick hosts.
  • Spiroplasma was not detected in walking stick eggs.
  • Prevalence rates of 15.4% in L. sayi and 14.3% in L. lomani populations were recorded.
  • Phylogenetic analyses placed the detected Spiroplasma sequences within the Ixodetis group, forming a distinct subclade.

Conclusions:

  • Leptus mites harbor Spiroplasma, which can be transmitted to their walking stick hosts.
  • The gut and muscle tissues of walking sticks are sites of Spiroplasma infection.
  • Leptus mites may play a significant role in the natural transmission cycle of Spiroplasma.

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