Mitochondrial genome and nuclear ribosomal RNA analysis place Alveonasus lahorensis within the Argasinae and suggest that the genus Alveonasus is paraphyletic
Epidemiology, Parasites and Vectors, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida 1709, South Africa Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa
Department of Virology and Rickettsiology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany Department of Infection and Pandemic Research, Fraunhofer Institute of Immunology, Infection and Pandemic Research, Penzberg, Germany
Epidemiology, Parasites and Vectors, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa
Minique de Castro
The Biotechnology Platform, Agricultural Research Council-Biotechnology Platform, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
Mehran Khan
Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
Mashal M. Almutairi
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Abdulaziz Alouffi
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
Abid Ali
Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
Two major families exist in ticks, the Argasidae and Ixodidae. The Argasidae comprise 2 sub-families, Argasinae and Ornithodorinae. The placement into subfamilies illuminate differences in morphological and molecular systematics and is important since it provides insight into evolutionary divergence within this family. It also identifies fundamental gaps in our understanding of argasid evolution that provide directions for future research. Molecular systematics based on mitochondrial genomics and 18S/28S ribosomal RNA confirmed the placement of various genera and subgenera into the Argasinae: Argas (including Argas and Persicargas), Navis, Ogadenus, Otobius lagophilus, Proknekalia, Secretargas and the Ornithodorinae: Alectorobius, Antricola (including Antricola and Parantricola), Carios, Chiropterargas, Nothoaspis, Ornithodoros (including Microargas, Ornamentum, Ornithodoros sensu strictu, Pavlovskyella), Otobius sensu strictu, Reticulinasus and Subparmatus. The position of Alveonasus remains controversial since traditional taxonomy placed it in the Ornithodorinae, while cladistic and limited molecular analysis placed it in the Argasinae. The current study aimed to resolve the systematic position of Alveonasus using mitochondrial genomic and 18S/28S ribosomal RNA systematics by sequencing the type species Alveonasus lahorensis from Pakistan. In addition, the mitochondrial genomes for Argas reflexus and Alectorobius kelleyi are reported from Germany and the USA, respectively. The systematic data unambiguously place Alveonasus in the Argasinae and also suggest that Alveonasus may be another paraphyletic genus.
