Analysis of eriophyid mite rDNA internal transcribed spacer sequences reveals variable simple sequence repeats

Ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers of the eriophyid mites Cecidophyopsis ribis, C. selachodon, C. spicata, C. alpina, C. aurea, C. grossulariae and Phylocoptes gracillis were amplified using PCR, cloned and sequenced. Sequences for the ITS1 of Cecidophyopsids were 92-99% homologous. Cecidophyopsis inter-specific differences were found in seventeen simple sequence repeats (vSSRs), fourteen point mutations and two indels. No intra-specific variation in vSSRs was detected. A hypothetical structure for ITS1 was obtained and vSSRs were mapped onto this. Changes in vSSRs were compensated for by changes in complementary vSSRs or through multiple point mutations. A comparison with vSSRs of other arthropods suggested that the levels of intra-specific variation in Cecidophyopsis mites was less than in organisms which do not use arrhentoky for male determination.