DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Systematics and Host-Parasite Associations of Rodent-Restricted Sucking Lice (Anoplura: Polyplacidae): Fahrenholzia lice and their Heteromyid Rodent Hosts

路易斯安那州立大学的马克·哈夫纳博士和杰西卡·莱特女士获得了一笔资助，他们将利用分子和形态学数据来研究啮齿动物限制的吸吮虱之间的关系。研究人员还将利用分子数据测试一组吸吮虱（华氏虱）和它们的异胚啮齿动物宿主之间的共同进化。吸吮虱是哺乳动物的专性吸血外寄生虫，它们是已知的疾病媒介和农业威胁。然而，尽管吸虱具有明显的健康和经济重要性，但只有少数活着的研究人员在研究无尾虫的生物学及其关系。研究吸虱物种之间的关系，不仅是彼此之间的关系，还有它们与宿主之间的关系，可以极大地提高我们对这些鲜为人知的生物的认识。资金将用于收集吸虱及其啮齿动物宿主，并购买实验室用品，用于分子关系研究。将进行统计分析，以测试宿主和寄生虫群体之间的共同进化。该项目是第一个研究啮齿动物限制吸虱之间关系的项目，也是第一个研究anoplurans与其宿主之间共同进化的项目。结果将发表在同行评议的期刊上，收集的数据将提交到在线数据库。通过增加我们对虱子关系的了解，这些结果将对医学和农业都有好处。这项研究还将确定适当的虱子特异性技术和分子标记，用于未来的分析。此外，一名女研究生将接受虱子分类、分子技术和系统发育方法的培训。与虱子形态学家、哺乳动物系统学家和分子生物学家的合作也将作为这项研究的结果而建立。

A grant has been awarded to Dr. Mark Hafner and Ms. Jessica Light at Louisiana State University to investigate the relationships among rodent-restricted sucking lice using both molecular and morphological data. The investigators will also test for coevolution between one group of sucking lice (Fahrenholzia) and their heteromyid rodent hosts using molecular data. Sucking lice are obligate, blood-feeding ectoparasites of mammals and they are known disease vectors as well as agricultural menaces. Yet, despite the obvious health and economic importance of sucking lice, there are only a few living researchers investigating anopluran biology and relationships. Studying the relationships that sucking louse species have not only to each other, but also with their hosts, can greatly improve our knowledge of these poorly known organisms. Funding will be used to collect both sucking lice and their rodent hosts and to purchase laboratory supplies for molecular investigation of relationships. Statistical analyses will be performed to test for coevolution between host and parasite groups.This project is the first to investigate the relationships among rodent-restricted sucking lice and the first to investigate coevolution between anoplurans and their hosts. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and collected data will be submitted to online databases. By increasing our knowledge of louse relationships, these results will have both medical and agricultural benefits. This investigation will also identify appropriate louse-specific techniques and molecular markers for use in future analyses. Furthermore, a female graduate student will be trained in louse taxonomy, molecular techniques, and phylogenetic methods. Collaborations with louse morphologists, mammalian systematists, and molecular biologists will also be established as a result of this research.