Genetic variability of Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera, Tungidae) sand fleas across South America and Africa

Tunga penetrans is a widely distributed sand flea, infecting men and domestic animals. It originated in South America, but it is now also endemic of Sub-Saharan Africa due to a recent accidental introduction. Previous genetic analyses indicated a very limited variability in the Ecuadorian population...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Parasitology research (1987) 2007-02, Vol.100 (3), p.593-598
Main Authors: LUCHETTI, Andrea, TRENTINI, Massimo, PAMPIGLIONE, Silvio, FIORAVANTI, Maria Letizia, MANTOVANI, Barbara
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
Animals
Base Sequence
Biological and medical sciences
DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - genetics
Electron Transport Complex IV - genetics
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models
Genetic Variation
Insecta
Invertebrates
Mitochondria - enzymology
Phylogeny
Siphonaptera
Siphonaptera - genetics
South America
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Summary:Tunga penetrans is a widely distributed sand flea, infecting men and domestic animals. It originated in South America, but it is now also endemic of Sub-Saharan Africa due to a recent accidental introduction. Previous genetic analyses indicated a very limited variability in the Ecuadorian populations; on the other hand, samples from Madagascar resulted to be genetically isolated. To better examine the genetic variability of T. penetrans, a wider sampling was analysed for mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase II) and nuclear (ribosomal internal transcribed spacer [ITS] 2) DNA sequences. The mitochondrial marker confirms the low genetic variability, with few haplotypes characterizing the majority of individuals from different populations. Haplotype distribution is in agreement with a recent colonization of Africa and with a rapid spreading across this continent. Moreover, a consistent gene flow between the Pacific and Atlantic South American populations emerges, possibly due to human and/or animal cross-Andean dispersal. On the other hand, the ITS2 marker depicts a sharply diverging pattern with samples collected in Ecuador unequivocally distinguished from the Brazilian and African ones. On the whole, taking into account also the molecular features of the marker used, data here presented are better interpreted in the light of a high dispersal ability of T. penetrans, probably reducing the phylogeographic signal.
ISSN:0932-0113
1432-1955
DOI:10.1007/s00436-006-0360-3