New Molecular-Based Phylogeny of Mussel-Associated Mites Reveals a New Subgenus and Three New Species Representing an Example of a Host-Driven Radiation in Indochina and Confirms the Concept of Division of the Genus <i>Unionicola</i> Haldeman, 1842 (Acari: Unionicolidae) into Numerous Subgenera
Yulia E. Chapurina,
Ekaterina S. Konopleva,
Malcolm F. Vidrine,
Ilya V. Vikhrev,
Zau Lunn,
Nyein Chan,
Than Win,
Alexander V. Kondakov,
Natalia A. Zubrii,
Yulia V. Bespalaya,
Olga V. Aksenova,
Mikhail Y. Gofarov,
Ivan N. Bolotov
Affiliations
Yulia E. Chapurina
Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources, N.P. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Northern Dvina Emb. 23, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia
Ekaterina S. Konopleva
Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources, N.P. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Northern Dvina Emb. 23, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia
Malcolm F. Vidrine
Math and Sciences Department, Louisiana State University at Eunice, Eunice, LA 70535, USA
Ilya V. Vikhrev
Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources, N.P. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Northern Dvina Emb. 23, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia
Department of Zoology, Dawei University, Dawei 14043, Myanmar
Alexander V. Kondakov
Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources, N.P. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Northern Dvina Emb. 23, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia
Natalia A. Zubrii
Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources, N.P. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Northern Dvina Emb. 23, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia
Yulia V. Bespalaya
Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources, N.P. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Northern Dvina Emb. 23, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia
Olga V. Aksenova
Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources, N.P. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Northern Dvina Emb. 23, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia
Mikhail Y. Gofarov
Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources, N.P. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Northern Dvina Emb. 23, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia
Ivan N. Bolotov
Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources, N.P. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Northern Dvina Emb. 23, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia
Here we describe a new subgenus and three new species of parasitic water mites in the genus Unionicola (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from Myanmar: Myanmaratax subgen. nov., Unionicola (Myanmaratax) savadiensis subgen. and sp. nov. (hosts: Lamellidens savadiensis and L. generosus), U. (My.) generosa sp. nov. (the same hosts), and U. (My.) trapezidenssp. nov. (hosts: Trapezidens dolichorhynchus and T. angustior). These taxa were identified based on a two-gene phylogenetic analysis (COI + 28S), which also confirms the division of the genus Unionicola into numerous subgenera. The new species are cryptic species, which are morphologically indistinguishable but strongly resemble U. (Prasadatax) brandti Vidrine, 1985 described from Thailand (hosts: Lens spp. and Ensidens spp.). We also transfer the latter taxon from Prasadatax to Myanmaratax based on a set of morphological evidence and propose U. (My.) brandti comb. nov. The new subgenus contains a total of five species, one of which needs future sampling efforts and will be described elsewhere. Additionally, 56 valid subgenera, which were placed in the synonymy of the genus and in one case raised to the genus level, are restored here until robust phylogenetic evidence on their taxonomic status is available. Our results also confirm that Unionicola mites are narrow host specialists that are associated with either one or a few closely related freshwater mussel species belonging to one or two sister genera.