Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2025

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers
Published on: October 5, 2017
Molecular Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Laelapidae Mites (Acari: Mesostigmata)
Evelina Kaminskienė1, Jana Radzijevskaja1, Loreta Griciuvienė1
1Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Donelaičio Str. 58, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania.
Abstract:
The family Laelapidae (Dermanyssoidea) is morphologically and ecologically the most diverse group of Mesostigmata mites. Although molecular genetic data are widely used in taxonomic identification and phylogenetic analysis, most classifications in Mesostigmata mites are based solely on morphological characteristics. In the present study, eight species of mites from the Laelapidae (Dermanyssoidea) family collected from different species of small rodents in Lithuania, Norway, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic were molecularly characterized using the nuclear (28S ribosomal RNA) and mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene) markers. Obtained molecular data from 113 specimens of mites were used to discriminate between species and investigate the phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity among Laelapidae mites from six genera. This study provides new molecular data on Laelaps agilis, Laelaps hilaris, Laelaps jettmari, Haemogamasus nidi, Eulaelaps stabularis, Hyperlaelaps microti, Myonyssus gigas, and Hirstionyssus sp. mites collected from different rodent hosts and geographical regions in Europe.
Related Concept Videos
Modern Molecular Taxonomy
Applications of Molecular Taxonomy
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
Methods of Classification and Identification

