Faculty Publications

Cospeciation in Pocket Gophers (Geomys) and Their Chewing Lice (Geomydoecus)

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Journal of Mammalogy

Volume

74

Issue

3

First Page

521

Last Page

530

Abstract

Comparison of independently derived phylogenies for pocket gophers and their chewing lice from Texas and Louisiana indices a history of widespread cospeciation in this host-parasite assemblage. Although similar, host and parasite phylogenies are not identifical; inconsistencies likely result from host-switching by the parasites, retention of ancestral taxa of parasites on recently evolved hosts, or poorly delineated taxonomic boundaries. The current disjunct distribution of Geomydoecus ewingi suggests that this chewing louse once parasitized the common ancestor of Geomys breviceps and G. attwateri. Combined protein and morphological evidence suggests that the population of Geomydoecus ewingi hosted by G. breviceps breviceps in NE Louisiana may be a cryptic species of louse. -from Authors

Department

Department of Biology

Original Publication Date

1-1-1993

DOI of published version

10.2307/1382271

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