02034nas a2200265   4500008004100000022001400041245016100055210006900216260001600285300001000301490000700311520120500318653001501523653001001538653001701548653001801565653001301583653001501596100002201611700002301633700002401656700002601680700001801706856004401724       2021                        eng d  a1424-281800aRestricted Geographic Sampling Yields Low Parasitism Rates but Surprisingly Diverse Host Associations in Avian Lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) from South Texas0 aRestricted Geographic Sampling Yields Low Parasitism Rates but S  cSep-07-2021  a20 pp0 v133 a<p><jats p="">South Texas is a highly variable region encompassing multiple habitat types and harboring a wide diversity of organisms. However, the parasite fauna in this region is poorly known, especially for avian ectoparasites such as lice. To better understand avian louse diversity and host associations in South Texas, we examined a total of 507 birds for chewing lice. Lice were morphologically identified to genus and phylogenetic analysis was performed using one mitochondrial (COI) and two nuclear (18S rRNA and EF-1&alpha;) genes. Of the birds examined, 69 (13.5%) were parasitized by lice resulting in a total of 63 host associations across 45 bird species, 29 of which were previously unrecorded. The predominant taxa encountered during this study included two of the most diverse louse genera, Myrsidea and Brueelia. Molecular analyses revealed 21 distinct genetic lineages, 17 of which are associated with novel host associations and may represent new species. This study represents the first extensive examination of avian louse host associations and relationships in Texas and reveals that there is still much to be learned about ectoparasite diversity in the New World.</jats></p>
10aAvian lice10abirds10aChewing lice10aectoparasites10agenetics10aparasitism1 aPistone, John, P.1 aLight, Jessica, E.1 aCampbell, Tyler, A.1 aCatanach, Therese, A.1 aVoelker, Gary  uhttps://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/9/43002562nas a2200313   4500008004100000245007000041210006900111260001200180300001400192490000600206520171000212653001601922653001001938653001601948653002101964653000901985653001801994100001802012700001902030700002102049700001802070700001802088700001902106700002002125700001602145700002202161700002302183856004202206       2013                        eng d00aRiver barriers and cryptic biodiversity in an evolutionary museum0 aRiver barriers and cryptic biodiversity in an evolutionary museu  c01-2013  a536 - 5450 v33 a<p>The Riverine Barriers Hypothesis (RBH) posits that tropical rivers can be effective barriers to gene flow, based on observations that range boundaries often coincide with river barriers. Over the last 160 years, the RBH has received attention from various perspectives, with a particular focus on vertebrates in the Amazon Basin. To our knowledge, no molecular assessment of the RBH has been conducted on birds in the Afrotropics, despite its rich avifauna and many Afrotropical bird species being widely distributed across numerous watersheds and basins. Here, we provide the first genetic evidence that an Afrotropical river has served as a barrier for birds and for their lice, based on four understory bird species collected from sites north and south of the Congo River. Our results indicate near‐contemporaneous, Pleistocene lineage diversification across the Congo River in these species. Our results further indicate differing levels of genetic variation in bird lice; the extent of this variation appears linked to the life‐history of both the host and the louse. Extensive cryptic diversity likely is being harbored in Afrotropical forests, in both understory birds and their lice. Therefore, these forests may not be &ldquo;museums&rdquo; of old lineages. Rather, substantial evolutionary diversification may have occurred in Afrotropical forests throughout the Pleistocene, supporting the Pleistocene Forest Refuge Hypothesis. Strong genetic variation in birds and their lice within a small part of the Congo Basin forest indicates that we may have grossly underestimated diversity in the Afrotropics, making these forests home of substantial biodiversity in need of conservation.</p>
10aAfrotropics10abirds10aCongo River10acrypticdiversity10alice10ariver barrier1 aVoelker, Gary1 aMarks, Ben, D.1 aKahindo, Charles1 aA'genonga, U.1 aBapeamoni, F.1 aDuffie, L., E.1 aHuntley, J., W.1 aMulotwa, E.1 aRosenbaum, S., A.1 aLight, Jessica, E.  uhttp://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/ece3.482