Open AccessHybridization in natural sympatric populations of Dermacentor ticks in northwestern North America
Author(s) -
ArayaAnchetta A.,
Scoles G. A.,
Giles J.,
Busch J. D.,
Wagner D. M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.17
H-Index - 63
ISSN - 2045-7758
DOI - 10.1002/ece3.496
Subject(s) - biology , sympatric speciation , hybrid , dermacentor variabilis , population , gene flow , dung beetle , zoology , genetics , genetic variation , botany , acari , gene , ixodidae , scarabaeidae , demography , sociology
Hybridization in ticks has been described in a handful of species and mostly as a result of laboratory experiments. We used 148 AFLP loci to describe putative hybridization events between D. andersoni and D. variabilis in sympatric populations from northwestern North America. Recently, D. variabilis has expanded its range westward into the natural range of D. andersoni . Using a sample of 235 D. andersoni and 62 D. variabilis , we identified 31 individuals as putative hybrids: four F 2 individuals and 27 backcrosses to D. andersoni (as defined by NewHybrids ). We found no evidence of hybrids backcrossing into D. variabilis . Furthermore, all hybrids presented 16S mt DNA signatures characteristic of D. andersoni, which indicates the directionality of the hybrid crosses: female D. andersoni × male D. variabilis . We also discovered 13 species‐specific AFLP fragments for D. andersoni . These loci were found to have a decreased occurrence in the putative hybrids and were absent altogether in D. variabilis samples. AFLP profiles were also used to determine the levels of genetic population structure and gene flow among nine populations of D. andersoni and three of D. variabilis . Genetic structure exists in both species ( D. andersoni , Φ ST = 0.110; D. variabilis, Φ ST = 0.304) as well as significant estimates of isolation by distance ( D. andersoni, ρ = 0.066, P = 0.001; D. variabilis, ρ = 0.729, P = 0.001).