A Different Tempo of Mitochondrial DNA Evolution in Birds and Their Parasitic Lice

The perils of using host relationships in parasite taxonomy: phylogeny of the Degeeriella complex

“…Other groups of lice often show considerable cospeciation with their hosts (Hafner et al, 1994;Johnson and Clayton, 2002;Page et al, 1998). Several factors probably play a role in reducing concordance with host relationships in the Degeeriella complex.…”

Rates of genomic divergence in humans, chimpanzees and their lice

“…Some possible explanations include genome-wide relaxed selection for mutation repair [29], shorter generation times [3] or overall elevated mutation rates [4]. In fact, an increased mutation rate combined with purifying selection could potentially explain the reduced D n /D s ratio in lice when compared with primates.…”

Systematic Review of Endemic Sulawesi Squirrels (Rodentia, Sciuridae), with Descriptions of New Species of Associated Sucking Lice (Insecta, Anoplura), and Phylogenetic and Zoogeographic Assessments of Sciurid Lice

“…Such is the imperfect match between cladograms of Sulawesi squirrels and their parasitic lice. Degrees of incongruence are also illustrated in results of the cospeciation studies involving lice and their bird hosts (seabirds in Procelariiformes and Sphenisciformes [Paterson et al, 2000] and swiftlets in Collocallinae [Page et al, 1998]); and even between chewing lice and their pocket gopher hosts (Geomyidae; Hafner et al, 1994;Hafner and Page, 1995), which is probably the ''-most intensively studied and well-known example of lousehost cospeciation …'' (Grimaldi and Engel, 2005: 278).…”