title: Multidisciplinary analysis of Knemidocoptes jamaicensis parasitising the Common Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs: proofs for a multispecies complex?
abstract: The number of studies discussing the pathology and host specificity in Knemidocoptinae is very limited. In Knemidocoptes jamaicensis, the host specificity seems to be very broad, and there is a clear morphological variability in individuals originating from various bird species; hence, serious doubts appear about the species status of this mite. We report a multidisciplinary approach to the taxonomy, morphology, ecology, and pathology of K. jamaicensis. The source of the mites in our study was a second year aged female of the Common Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, which accidentally died in the mist net during a field study in Dumbrava, Cluj County, Romania in March 2011. Comparisons of the biometrical data regarding the body dimensions, length of certain setae, and distances between bases of dorsal setae with other published data showed a great variability of certain measurements between populations infecting various hosts and localities and sometimes even within single populations. Gross and histologic lesions consisted in severe bilateral orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis and epidermal spongiosis. Lesions also involved the skin of the joints. Skin inflammation was absent, and no lesions were noticed in the metatarsus bone. Following molecular analysis, the 518-base-long sequence differed from the published 18S rDNA in nine positions. Additionally, our paper reports for the first time the DNA barcode sequences of K. jamaicensis and, together with the synoptic analysis of host spectrum, geographical distribution and morphological variability it brings important evidences to sustain the hypothesis of multispecies complex for K. jamaicensis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Morphology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 60-414, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dabert
authors.forename: Miroslawa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dabert
authors.forename: Adrian F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Gal
authors.forename: Viorel
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Miclăuş
authors.forename: Andrei D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Mihalca
authors.forename: Attila D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Sándor
mesh_terms: D000053:Acari / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001699:Biometry; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology*; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D004772:Entomology; D058507:Host Specificity; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D046109:Passeriformes / Q000469:parasitology*; D058974:Phylogeography; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S / Q000235:genetics; D012383:Romania; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
references.citation: Front Zool. 2007 Feb 16;4:6
references.pmid: 17306026
references.citation: Am Nat. 2003 Aug;162(2):182-94
references.pmid: 12858263
references.citation: Z Parasitenkd. 1964 Aug 20;24:561-77
references.pmid: 14316621
references.citation: Evolution. 2003 May;57(5):1176-81
references.pmid: 12836833
references.citation: Parasitology. 1950 Jan;40(1-2):60-2
references.pmid: 15401172
references.citation: Evolution. 2001 Feb;55(2):282-94
references.pmid: 11308086
references.citation: Parasitol Res. 2011 Jul;109(1):237-40
references.pmid: 21503637
references.citation: J Wildl Dis. 2009 Apr;45(2):497-501
references.pmid: 19395759
references.citation: J Wildl Dis. 1999 Jan;35(1):1-7
references.pmid: 10073340
references.citation: Evolution. 2005 Sep;59(9):2025-32
references.pmid: 16261739
references.citation: J Parasitol. 1972 Apr;58(2):339-42
references.pmid: 5022870
references.citation: J Med Entomol. 2001 May;38(3):437-40
references.pmid: 11372970
references.citation: Z Parasitenkd. 1958;18(4):349-85
references.pmid: 13604749
references.citation: Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2010 Jul;56(1):222-41
references.pmid: 20060051
references.citation: J Med Entomol. 1970 Dec;7(6):686
references.pmid: 5533619