title: Range-wide genetic structure and demographic history in the bat ectoparasite Cimex adjunctus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evolutionary histories of parasite and host populations are intimately linked such that their spatial genetic structures may be correlated. While these processes have been relatively well studied in specialist parasites and their hosts, less is known about the ecological and evolutionary consequences of relationships between generalist ectoparasites and their hosts. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic structure and demographic history of a bat ectoparasite, Cimex adjunctus, whose host affinity is weak but the biology of the potential hosts have been well studied. This ectoparasite has been hypothesized to rely on its hosts for dispersal due to its low inherent dispersal potential. Here we describe genetic diversity and demographic history in C. adjunctus through most of its range in North America. We investigated variation at the cytochrome c oxidase 1 mitochondrial gene and nine microsatellite markers, and tested the prediction that genetic diversity in C. adjunctus is spatially structured. We also tested the prediction that demographic history in C. adjunctus is characterized by range and demographic expansion as a consequence of post-Pleistocene climate warming.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found stronger spatial structuring of genetic diversity in C. adjunctus than has been quantified in two of its hosts, but contrast in amount of variation explained by host association with different genetic markers (i.e., nuclear vs mitochondrial DNA). Also, C. adjunctus' history is not primarily characterized by demographic and range expansion, as is the case with two of its key hosts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows different patterns of genetic structure and demographic history in C. adjunctus than have been detected in two of its key hosts. Our results suggest an effect of a loose parasite-host relationship and anti-parasitism strategies on genetic structure and post-Pleistocene recovery of population size.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, Canada. btalbot4@uwo.ca.
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3567-1213
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Talbot
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, 1903 W Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Maarten J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Vonhof
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Saint Mary's University, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, NS, Canada.
authors.forename: Hugh G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Broders
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Brock
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fenton
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Nusha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Keyghobadi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001511:Bedbugs / Q000235:genetics*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000145:classification / Q000469:parasitology*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D017344:Genes, Insect; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D009656:North America; D058974:Phylogeography
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
keywords: AMOVA; Approximate Bayesian computation; Bayesian skyline plot; CO1; Genetic clustering; Isolation by distance; Phylogeography