Molecular characterization of Laelaps agilis mites (mesostigmata: laelapidae) from small rodents

Abstract

Laelaps agilis is the dominant species of mite parasitizing small rodents in Europe. Species determination of laelapid mites, including L. agilis, based on their morphological characteristics is difficult due to their high levels of morphological variability and small size of these mites. In recent years, DNA-based methods have been used to identify Mesostigmata mite species where morphological differentiation is problematic. In Europe, Laelaps agilis was reported by morphological identification. However, there is no study on molecular chracterisation of this species. In this study, L. agilis mites parasitizing small rodents, for the first time, identified and genetically characterized by the comparison of nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene region. L. agilis specimens were obtained from five different small rodent hosts collected in Lithuania, Slovakia and Czech Republic. Eight COI haplotypes (h = 8) between L. agilis sequences were identified (Hd = 0.910, Π = 0.03157 and S = 66). Correlation between L. agilis COI haplotypes and geographic location was detected. Some of L. agilis haplotypes were specific to A. sylvaticus, M. glareolus and M. oeconomus rodents. This study provides new information on an identification and genetic diversity of L. agilis mites.