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Genetic Structure Of Ixodes Scapularis Say 1821 (Acari: Ixodidae), The Blacklegged Tick, By Microsatellite Analysis, John Ludwig
Genetic Structure Of Ixodes Scapularis Say 1821 (Acari: Ixodidae), The Blacklegged Tick, By Microsatellite Analysis, John Ludwig
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) is the subject of intense research due to its economic importance from being a vector of several diseases. Previous studies have examined its taxonomic status and more recently, its genetic structure. This study embarked upon resolving the questions surrounding the genetic structuring of the tick, by using different molecular markers. Molecular data were first phylogenetically analyzed by using four different mitochondrial and nuclear markers (12SrDNA n=483, Dloop n=432, ITS2 n=156, Actin n=117). A Bayesian tree was inferred from the concatenated mitochondrial dataset, whereas nuclear gene markers were found to be uninformative. Nine microsatellites …
The Role Of Artificial Structures In Facilitating Range Expansion Of The Introduced Barnacle Megabalanus Coccopoma In The Southeastern U.S.A., Alicia M. Reigel
The Role Of Artificial Structures In Facilitating Range Expansion Of The Introduced Barnacle Megabalanus Coccopoma In The Southeastern U.S.A., Alicia M. Reigel
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The barnacle Megabalanus coccopoma is a recent invader of the southeastern U.S.A. from the tropical eastern Pacific. In Georgia, M. coccopoma populations along the immediate coastline often suffer extensive mortality during the winter, but population rebuilding is common after these events suggesting that there may be nearby larval sources. I investigated the hypothesis that artificial structures (i.e., buoys, towers), occurring far enough offshore of Georgia for water temperatures to be moderated by the Gulf Stream, provide refuges for breeding adults of M. coccopoma and can serve as the larval source. I investigated this hypothesis by first developing thirteen microsatellite primer …
Helping To Resolve Taxonomic Conflicts Within The Genus Amblyomma (Acari:Ixodidae) From A Molecular Perspective, Paula Lado
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This work sought to reassess the taxonomic status of Amblyomma parvum Aragao, 1908 and of the A. maculatum group of ticks Camicas, 1998. By using different molecular markers, 12SrDNA, 16SrDNA, DL, COI, COII (mitochondrial) and ITS2 (nuclear), I analyzed the systematic relationships between these taxa and their closest relatives. Phylogenetic analyses by maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analysis were performed in order to determine relationships among species and populations, and to determine the evolutionary history of these ixodids. The data obtained supported the hypothesis of cryptic speciation occurring within A. parvum, with the northern populations of Central America being …