Ctenocephalides felis and Ctenocephalides canis: introgressive hybridization?

Abstract

In the present work, a comparative molecular study ofCtenocephalidesfelisandCtenocephalides canisisolated from dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)fromdifferent geographical regions (Spain, Iran and South Africa) was carried out. We foundmorphological variations inC. felisthat do not correspond with molecular differences.The Internal Transcribed Spacers 1 and 2 (ITS1, ITS2) and18SrRNA partial gene,and cytochrome c-oxidase 1 (cox1) mtDNA partial gene sequences were determinedto clarify the taxonomic status of these two species, and to assess interpopulationvariation and interspecific sequence differences. In addition, a comparative phylogeneticstudy with other species of fleas using Bayesian, Maximum Parsimony and MaximumLikelihood analysis was performed. The18SrRNA partial gene fragment was usefulneither to discriminateC. canisandC. felisnor to infer phylogenetic relationships atthis level, whereas ITS1 and ITS2 assessed for specific determination in the genusCtenocephalides.Thecox1mtDNA sequences ofC. felisrevealed three main haplotypesand we suggest that there has been introgression ofC. canis cox1mtDNA intoC. felisbyWolbachia pipientis. Based oncox1sequences, restriction mapping identified manyendonucleases that could be used to delineate different haplotypes ofC. felisand todifferentiateC. felisandC. canis.