Pocket Gophers and Their Chewing Lice: A Test of the Maternal Transmission Hypothesis

Authors

James W. Demastes, Louisiana State UniversityFollow
M. S. Hafner, Louisiana State UniversityFollow
D. J. Hafner, Louisiana State UniversityFollow
T. A. Spradling, Louisiana State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Coevolution, Geomyidae, MtDNA, Parasite, RFLP, Trichodectidae

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Molecular Ecology

Volume

7

Issue

8

First Page

1065

Last Page

1069

Abstract

The life-history traits of pocket gophers and their chewing lice suggest that there is little opportunity for transmission of parasites among pocket gophers, with the exception of transmission from mother to offspring. Herein, we test the hypothesis that lice are transmitted maternally by using an indirect approach that compares the distribution of louse populations to the distribution of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes in the pocket gophers. Comparison of the chewing louse distributions to the distribution of mtDNA haplotypes for the gophers revealed no significant concordance, and thus falsifies the maternal transmission hypothesis.

Department

Department of Biology

Original Publication Date

8-1-1998

DOI of published version

10.1046/j.1365-294x.1998.00383.x

Recommended Citation

Demastes, James W.; Hafner, M. S.; Hafner, D. J.; and Spradling, T. A., "Pocket Gophers and Their Chewing Lice: A Test of the Maternal Transmission Hypothesis" (1998). Faculty Publications. 6182.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/facpub/6182