Leaving the tropics: The successful colonization of cold temperate regions byDolicheremaeus dorni(Acari, Oribatida)

Abstract

Species diversity is generally higher in the tropics compared to the temperate zones. The phenomenon that one species of an almost exclusively tropical living genus was able to adapt successfully to the cold northern regions is rather rare. However, the oribatid mite Dolicheremaeus dorni represents such a species and is in the focus of this study. While 180 Dolicheremaeus species are confined to the tropics and subtropics, only five species are known to occur in temperate climates and D. dorni represents the only species with a wider distribution in this climatic region. This species is distributed in Central and Southern Europe and was now recorded for the first time in Austria. A morphological and molecular genetic investigation of specimens from Austria, Poland and Croatia confirmed this distribution pattern and revealed specific geographic clades and haplotypes for each population and hence indicate low gene flow between populations. A further molecular genetic analysis of the 18S rRNA gene sequence of D. dorni confirmed its phylogenetic position within Carabodoidea. Based on record information, this species is associated with trees or tree habitats and seems to be rather a generalist than a specialist for a specific substrate (e.g., tree species) or food source.

Claw shape variation in oribatid mites of the genera Carabodes and Caleremaeus: exploring the interplay of habitat, ecology and phylogenetics

“…Extraction of total genomic DNA from single individuals followed the Chelex method given in Schäffer et al (2018) . Standardized protocols were applied for PCR amplification, purification and sequencing ( Schäffer et al, 2010 ; Schäffer et al, 2018 ).…”

Testing for phylogenetic signal in claws suggests great influence of ecology on Caribbean intertidal arthropods (Acari, Oribatida)

“…For molecular phylogenetic analyses, total genomic DNA of 41 Carinozetes individuals was extracted following the rapid Chelex protocol described in Schäffer et al 33 . Sample size and information about sampled populations are given in Table 1 .…”

Unexpected diversity in the host-generalist oribatid miteParaleius leontonychus(Oribatida, Scheloribatidae) phoretic on Palearctic bark beetles

“…Single individuals were used for the extraction of total genomic DNA applying the Chelex protocol given in Schäffer et al (2018) . PCR amplification and sequencing followed standard protocols ( Schäffer et al, 2010 , 2018 ).…”

“…Single individuals were used for the extraction of total genomic DNA applying the Chelex protocol given in Schäffer et al (2018) . PCR amplification and sequencing followed standard protocols ( Schäffer et al, 2010 , 2018 ). We obtained sequences of a 622 bp fragment of COI-2, a 314-320 bp fragment of D3-28S and a 1,748–1,784 bp fragment of the 18S gene (primer pairs are same as in references before).…”