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赠款，利用分子和形态学数据调查啮齿动物限制的吸虱之间的关系。 研究人员还将使用分子数据测试一组吸虱（Faecumholzia）和它们的异足类啮齿动物宿主之间的共同进化。 吸虱是哺乳动物的专性吸血体外寄生虫，它们是已知的疾病媒介以及农业威胁。 然而，尽管吸虱对健康和经济有着明显的重要性，但只有少数活着的研究人员在研究anopluran的生物学和关系。 研究吸虱物种不仅彼此之间的关系，而且与它们的宿主之间的关系，可以大大提高我们对这些鲜为人知的生物体的认识。 资金将用于收集吸虱和它们的啮齿动物宿主，并购买实验室用品，用于关系的分子研究。 本项目是第一个研究啮齿类吸虱之间关系的项目，也是第一个研究无尾目昆虫与宿主之间协同进化的项目。 结果将发表在同行评审的期刊上，收集的数据将提交给在线数据库。 通过增加我们对虱子关系的了解，这些结果将具有医疗和农业双重效益。 这项调查还将确定适当的虱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学、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建立作为这项研究的结果。

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.