New insights into the molecular phylogeny, biogeographical history, and diversification of Amblyomma ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) based on mitogenomes and nuclear sequences

• Autores: Uribe, Juan E.; Kelava, Samuel; Nava, Santiago; Cotes-Perdomo, Andrea P.; Castro, Lyda R.; Rivera-Paéz, Fredy A.; Perea, Silvia; Mans, Ben J.; Gofton, Alexander; Teo, Ernest J.M.; Zardoya, Rafael; Barker, Stephen C.
• Año de publicación: 2024
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Fuente: Parasites & Vectors 17 : Article number: 139 (March 2024)
• Materia: Amblyomma; Phylogeny; Genetic Markers; Ixodidae; Vectors; Genomics; Filogenia; Marcadores Genéticos; Vectores; Genómica; Garrapatas; Ticks
• Institución: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria

Background: Amblyomma is the third most diversified genus of Ixodidae that is distributed across the Indomalayan, Afrotropical, Australasian (IAA), Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic ecoregions, reaching in the Neotropic its highest diversity. There have been hints in previously published phylogenetic trees from mitochondrial genome, nuclear rRNA, from combinations of both and morphology that the Australasian Amblyomma or the Australasian Amblyomma plus the Amblyomma species from the southern cone of South America, might be sister-group to the Amblyomma of the rest of the world. However, a stable phylogenetic framework of Amblyomma for a better understanding of the biogeographic patterns underpinning its diversification is lacking. Methods: We used genomic techniques to sequence complete and nearly complete mitochondrial genomes –ca. 15 kbp– as well as the nuclear ribosomal cluster –ca. 8 kbp– for 17 Amblyomma ticks in order to study the phylogeny and biogeographic pattern of the genus Amblyomma, with particular emphasis on the Neotropical region. The new genomic information generated here together with genomic information available on 43 ticks (22 other Amblyomma species and 21 other hard ticks–as outgroup–) were used to perform probabilistic methods of phylogenetic and biogeographic inferences and time-tree estimation using biogeographic dates. Results: In the present paper, we present the strongest evidence yet that Australasian Amblyomma may indeed be the sister-group to the Amblyomma of the rest of the world (species that occur mainly in the Neotropical and Afrotropical zoogeographic regions). Our results showed that all Amblyomma subgenera (Cernyomma, Anastosiella, Xiphiastor, Adenopleura, Aponomma and Dermiomma) are not monophyletic, except for Walkeriana and Amblyomma. Likewise, our best biogeographic scenario supports the origin of Amblyomma and its posterior diversification in the southern hemisphere at 47.8 and 36.8 Mya, respectively. This diversification could be associated with the end of the connection of Australasia and Neotropical ecoregions by the Antarctic land bridge. Also, the biogeographic analyses let us see the colonization patterns of some neotropical Amblyomma species to the Nearctic. Conclusions: We found strong evidence that the main theater of diversification of Amblyomma was the southern hemisphere, potentially driven by the Antarctic Bridge's intermittent connection in the late Eocene. In addition, the subgeneric classification of Amblyomma lacks evolutionary support. Future studies using denser taxonomic sampling may lead to new findings on the phylogenetic relationships and biogeographic history of Amblyomma genus.
EEA Rafaela
Fil: Uribe, Juan E. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC). Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva; España
Fil: Uribe, Juan E. Smithsonian Institution. National Museum of Natural History. Invertebrate Zoology Department; Estados Unidos
Fil: Kelava, Samuel. The University of Queensland. School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences. Department of Parasitology; Australia
Fil: Nava, Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; Argentina
Fil: Cotes-Perdomo, Andrea P. University of South-Eastern. Faculty of Technology. Natural Sciences and Environmental Health Department. Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences; Noruega
Fil: Castro, Lyda R. Universidad del Magdalena. Facultad de Ciencias Básicas. Grupo de investigación Evolución, Sistemática y Ecología Molecular (GIESEMOL); Colombia
Fil: Rivera-Paéz, Fredy A. Universidad de Caldas. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME); Colombia
Fil: Perea, Silvia. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC). Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva; España
Fil: Mans, Ben J. Agricultural Research Council–Onderstepoort Veterinary Research. Epidemiology, Parasites and Vectors; Sudáfrica
Fil: Mans, Ben J. University of South Africa. Department of Life and Consumer Sciences; Sudáfrica
Fil: Gofton, Alexander. CSIRO Health and Biosecurity; Australia
Fil: Teo, Ernest J.M. The University of Queensland. School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences. Department of Parasitology; Australia
Fil: Zardoya, Rafael. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC). Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva; España
Fil: Barker, Stephen C. The University of Queensland. School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences. Department of Parasitology; Australia