scholarly journals Molecular evolutionary trends and biosynthesis pathways in the Oribatida revealed by the genome of Archegozetes longisetosus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Brückner ◽  
Austen A. Barnett ◽  
Igor A. Antoshechkin ◽  
Sheila A. Kitchen
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Oribatid Mite ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Oil Glands ◽  
Reduced Body ◽  
Archegozetes Longisetosus

ABSTRACTBackgroundOribatid mites are a specious order of microarthropods within the subphylum Chelicerata, compromising about 11,000 described species. They are ubiquitously distributed across different microhabitats in all terrestrial ecosystems around the world and were among the first animals colonizing terrestrial habitats as decomposers and scavengers. Noted for their biosynthesis capacities and biochemical diversity, the majority of oribatid mites possess a pair of exocrine opisthonotal oil-glands used for chemical defense and communication. Genomic resources are lacking for oribatids despite their species richness and ecological importance.ResultsWe used a comparative genomic approach to investigate the developmental, sensory and glandular biosynthetic gene repertoire of the clonal, all-female oribatid mite species Archegozetes longisetosus Aoki, a model species used by numerous laboratories for the past 30 years. Here, we present a 190-Mb genome assembly constructed from Nanopore MinION and Illumina sequencing platforms with 23,825 predicted protein-coding genes. Genomic and transcriptional analyses revealed patterns of reduced body segmentation and loss of segmental identity gene abd-A within Acariformes, and unexpected expression of key eye development genes in these eyeless mites across developmental stages. Consistent with the soil dwelling lifestyle, investigation of the sensory genes revealed a species-specific expansion of gustatory receptors, the largest chemoreceptor family in the genome used in olfaction, and evidence of horizontally transferred enzymes used in cell wall degradation of plant and fungal matter, both components of the Archegozetes longisetosus diet. Using biochemical and genomic data, we were able to delineate the backbone biosynthesis of monoterpenes, an important class of compounds found in the major exocrine gland system of Oribatida – the oil glands.ConclusionsWith the Archegozetes longisetosus genome, we now have the first high-quality, annotated genome of an oribatid mite genome. Given the mite’s strength as an experimental model, the new sequence resources provided here will serve as the foundation for molecular research in Oribatida and will enable a broader understanding of chelicerate evolution.

Forest floor microarthropod abundance and oribatid mite (Acari: Oribatida) composition following partial and clear-cut harvesting in the mixedwood boreal forest

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 998-1006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoë Lindo ◽  
Suzanne Visser
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Oribatid Mite ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Mixedwood Boreal Forest

The effects of partial and clear-cut harvesting on abundance and community composition of forest floor microarthropods and oribatid mites were investigated in conifer and deciduous stands of the mixedwood boreal forest. Soil samples from clearcuts, strip-cut corridors in a partial cut, green-tree retention patches in a partial cut, and uncut control sites were collected 2.5 years after harvest and microarthropods were extracted, enumerated, and identified. Densities of microarthropod suborders were lower in the strip-cut corridors of the deciduous stands and significantly lower in the suborder Oribatida (oribatid mites). Changes in microarthropod community composition, decreased relative abundance of prostigmatid mites, and increased relative abundance of mesostigmatid mites were observed in corridor and clear-cut treatments. Lowered abundances and changes in community composition are likely due to compaction of the forest floor during harvesting. Selected oribatid mite species showed significantly lower abundances in clearcuts than in uncut sites, but diversity indices for oribatid mites were generally not significantly different between uncut sites and clearcuts. Changes in oribatid mite communities following harvesting were thus more quantitative (absolute abundance) than qualitative (diversity, composition), and as a result, use of oribatid mites as biological indicators of disturbance is limited because of the lack of changes in species composition.

Two remarkable new species of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) from Acacia litter of Kerala, India

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4877 (3) ◽  
pp. 539-558
Author(s):  
A. ARUN ◽  
N. RAMANI
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Oribatid Mite ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
Acacia Auriculiformis ◽  
University Campus ◽  
Identification Keys ◽  
The Family ◽  
First Time ◽  
Oribatid Mite Species

Two new oribatid mite species viz. Papillacarus (Vepracarus) acaciensis sp. nov. and Licneremaeus indicus sp. nov. belonging to the respective oribatid families, Lohmanniidae and Licneremaeidae are described and illustrated. Specimens of both species were collected from litter of Acacia auriculiformis Benth. (Leguminosae) growing in different localities of the Calicut University Campus, Malappuram Dt. of Kerala. The family Licneremaeidae is recorded for the first time from India. Identification keys to all known species of the nominative subgenus Vepracarus and the genus Licneremaeus are also provided.

MERISTACARUS BOCHKOVI (ACARI, ORIBATIDA, LOHMANNIIDAE), A NEW SPECIES OF ORIBATID MITES FROM MALAYSIA

Acarina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-182
Author(s):  
Sergey G. Ermilov ◽  
Stanislav Kalúz
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Body Surface ◽  
Oribatid Mite ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Oribatid Mite Species

A new oribatid mite species of the genus Meristacarus (Oribatida, Lohmanniidae) is described from Malaysia. Meristacarus bochkovi sp. n. differs from all other representatives of the genus by the presence of a dense tuberculate body surface.

scholarly journals Multiple convergent evolution of arboreal life in oribatid mites indicates the primacy of ecology

2009 ◽  
Vol 276 (1671) ◽  
pp. 3219-3227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Maraun ◽  
Georgia Erdmann ◽  
Garvin Schulz ◽  
Roy A. Norton ◽  
Stefan Scheu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Convergent Evolution ◽  
Oribatid Mite ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
Phylogenetic Study ◽  
Gravity Receptor ◽  
General Force ◽  
Predator Defence ◽  
Oribatid Mite Species

Frequent convergent evolution in phylogenetically unrelated taxa points to the importance of ecological factors during evolution, whereas convergent evolution in closely related taxa indicates the importance of favourable pre-existing characters (pre-adaptations). We investigated the transitions to arboreal life in oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari), a group of mostly soil-living arthropods. We evaluated which general force—ecological factors, historical constraints or chance—was dominant in the evolution of arboreal life in oribatid mites. A phylogenetic study of 51 oribatid mite species and four outgroup taxa, using the ribosomal 18S rDNA region, indicates that arboreal life evolved at least 15 times independently. Arboreal oribatid mite species are not randomly distributed in the phylogenetic tree, but are concentrated among strongly sclerotized, sexual and evolutionary younger taxa. They convergently evolved a capitate sensillus, an anemoreceptor that either precludes overstimulation in the exposed bark habitat or functions as a gravity receptor. Sexual reproduction and strong sclerotization were important pre-adaptations for colonizing the bark of trees that facilitated the exploitation of living resources (e.g. lichens) and served as predator defence, respectively. Overall, our results indicate that ecological factors are most important for the observed pattern of convergent evolution of arboreal life in oribatid mites, supporting an adaptationist view of evolution.

New species of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) of the genera Belbodamaeus (Damaeidae), Malaconothrus (Malaconothridae) and Nothrus (Nothridae) from India

Biologia ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergey Ermilov ◽  
Stanislav Kalúz ◽  
Donghui Wu
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Oribatid Mite ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
Identification Key ◽  
Indian Soils ◽  
Oribatid Mite Species

AbstractThree new oribatid mite species, Belbodamaeus indicus sp. n. (Damaeidae), Malaconothrus macrofoveolatus sp. n. (Malaconothridae) and Nothrus phylliformis sp. n. (Nothridae), are described from Indian soils. Belbodamaeus indicus sp. n. is clearly distinguishable from all species of Belbodamaeus by the absence of discidia, very long sensilli and morphology of parastigmatic tubercles Sa. Malaconothrus macrofoveolatus sp. n. is very similar morphologically to Malaconothrus yinae Yamamoto, Aoki, Wang & Hu, 1993 from China, however it differs from the latter by the morphology of notogastral and genital setae, size of body foveolae, epimeral formula, and number of genital setae. Nothrus phylliformis sp. n. is very similar morphologically to Nothrus mystax Mahunka, 1986 from Tanzania, however it differs from the latter by the smaller body size, length of interlamellar setae and the position of notogastral setae d 1. An identification key to known species of Belbodamaeus is presented.

scholarly journals Genome of the bi-annual Rio Pearlfish (Nematolebias whitei), a killifish model species for Eco-Evo-Devo

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew W. Thompson ◽  
Harrison Wojtas ◽  
Myles Davoll ◽  
Ingo Braasch
Keyword(s):  
Life Histories ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Genome Structure ◽  
Extreme Environments ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Mobile Dna ◽  
Model Species ◽  
D Genome ◽  
Evo Devo

The Rio Pearlfish Nematolebias whitei is a bi-annual killifish species inhabiting seasonal pools of the Rio de Janeiro region that dry twice per year. Embryos enter dormant diapause stages in the soil, waiting for the inundation of the habitat which triggers hatching and commencement of a new life cycle. This species represents a convergent, independent origin of annualism from other emerging killifish model species. While some transcriptomic datasets are available for Rio Pearlfish, thus far a sequenced genome has been unavailable. Here we present a high quality, 1.2Gb chromosome-level genome assembly, genome annotations and a comparative genomic investigation of the Rio Pearlfish as representative of a vertebrate clade that evolved environmentally-cued hatching. We show conservation of 3-D genome structure across teleost fish evolution, developmental stages, tissues and cell types. Our analysis of mobile DNA shows that Rio Pearlfish, like other annual killifishes, possesses an expanded transposable element profile with implications for rapid aging and adaptation to harsh conditions. We use the Rio Pearlfish genome to identify its hatching enzyme gene repertoire and the location of the hatching gland, a key first step in understanding the developmental genetic control of hatching. The Rio Pearlfish genome expands the comparative genomic toolkit available to study convergent origins of seasonal life histories, diapause, and rapid aging phenotypes. We present the first set of genomic resources for this emerging model organism, critical for future functional genetic and multi-omic explorations of Eco-Evo-Devo phenotypes in resilience and adaptation to extreme environments.

scholarly journals Variation in Community-Level Trophic Niches of Soil Microarthropods With Conversion of Tropical Rainforest Into Plantation Systems as Indicated by Stable Isotopes (15N, 13C)

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alena Krause ◽  
Dorothee Sandmann ◽  
Anton Potapov ◽  
Sergey Ermilov ◽  
Rahayu Widyastuti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Oribatid Mite ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Trophic Niche ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
Community Level ◽  
Trophic Niches ◽  
Oribatid Mite Species

Land-use change is threatening biodiversity worldwide and is predicted to increase in the next decades, especially in tropical regions. Most studies focused on the response of single or few species to land-use change, only few investigated the response of entire communities. In particular the response of belowground communities to changes in land use received little attention. Oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari) are among the most abundant soil animals, involved in decomposition processes and nutrient cycling. Oribatid mite species span a wide range of trophic niches and are known to sensitively respond to changes in land use. Here, we investigated shifts in the community-level trophic niche of oribatid mites with the conversion of rainforest into rubber and oil palm plantations. Due to a wider range of resources in more natural ecosystems, we expected the community-level trophic niche to shrink with conversion of rainforest into plantations. As the conversion of rainforest into plantations is associated with reduced availability of litter resources, we expected the average trophic level (indicated by the 15N/14N ratio) to be higher and basal resources (indicated by the 13C/12C ratio) to shift toward living plant material in rubber and oil palm plantations. Our analysis showed that community-level trophic niches in rainforest and rubber agroforest (“jungle rubber”) were separated from those in monoculture plantation systems, indicating a trophic niche shift with land-use intensification. As hypothesized, oribatid mites shifted their diet toward predation and/or scavenging and toward the plant-based energy channel with transformation of rainforest into plantations. Exceptionally low minimum 13C/12C ratios in rubber plantations suggest that certain oribatid mite species in this land-use system use resources not available in the other studied ecosystems. We detected high isotopic uniqueness in oil palm plantations suggesting a low trophic redundancy and thus high vulnerability of trophic functioning in this system in comparison to rainforest. Overall, the results suggest that the conversion of rainforest into plantations is associated with pronounced shifts in community-level trophic niches of mesofauna detritivores with potential major consequences for the functioning of the decomposer system.

New and interesting oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) phoretic on Aceraius grandis (Coleoptera, Passalidae) from Vietnam

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 945
Author(s):  
Sergey G. Ermilov ◽  
Andrey V. Frolov
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Oribatid Mite ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
Identification Key ◽  
Oriental Region ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
First Time ◽  
Oribatid Mite Species

Five oribatid mite species (Oribatida), phoretic on beetles, Aceraius grandis (Coleoptera, Passalidae) from Vietnam, are identified: two new species, belonging to the subgenera Graptoppia (Stenoppia) (Oppiidae) and Perscheloribates (Perscheloribates) (Scheloribatidae), are described; and three known species are Mesoplophora (Parplophora) flavida, M. (P.) polita and Ramusella (Sabahoppia) blattarum. Graptoppia (Stenoppia) luisi sp. nov. differs from all species of the subgenus by the presence of tridentate rostrum. Perscheloribates kontumensis sp. nov. differs from Perscheloribates curiosus Ermilov, 2016, Perscheloribates hanoiensis Ermilov & Starý, 2018 and Perscheloribates surigaoensis Corpuz-Raros, 1980 by the presence of body sculpturing, distinct setiform apex in bothridial setae and flexible notogastral setae. Species M. (P.) flavida, M. (P.) polita and R. blattarum, the subgenera Mesoplophora (Parplophora) and Ramusella (Sabahoppia), and the genera Mesoplophora and Graptoppia are recorded in Vietnam for the first time; the subgenus Graptoppia (Stenoppia) is recorded in the Oriental region for the first time. An identification key to known species of Graptoppia (Stenoppia) is given.

scholarly journals Oribatid mite (Acari: Oribatida) contribution to decomposition dynamic of leaf litter in primary forest, second growth, and polyculture in the Central Amazon

2004 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Franklin ◽  
T. Hayek ◽  
E. P. Fagundes ◽  
L. L. Silva
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Oribatid Mite ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
Decomposition Process ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Tropical Conditions ◽  
Abundance And Diversity

We studied the contribution of oribatid mites in the dynamics of litter decomposition in an experiment using litterbags of three different mesh sizes (20 µm, 250 µm, and 1 cm). The experiment was carried out at a primary forest (FLO), a secondary forest (SEC), and at two polyculture systems (POA and POC). We compared the weight loss of the leaves of Vismia guianensis and the changes of the oribatid mite species community. We processed the samples after 26, 58, 111, 174, 278, and 350 days from the beginning of the experiment by using the Berlese-Tullgren to extract the animals. We hypothesized that: 1. the abundance and diversity of oribatid mites would exert an influence in the decomposition process; 2. there would be a successional changing of the species during decomposition; and 3. there would be differences in the colonization of species in relation to the mesh size of the litterbags. A total of 95 species of oribatid mites was found. The biomass data was the first registered for the Amazon region. The great dominance of oribatid mites did not exert an influence in the decomposition process. There was not a successional changing of the species during the course of the decomposition process, unlike those shown by results obtained in the temperate forest, because we found neither early colonizers nor species that prefer advanced decomposition stages. The oribatid mite community, which developed in the litterbags under tropical conditions, was atypical of the normal stages of leaf litter breakdown and decomposition. There were differences in the colonization of species in relation to the mesh size of the litterbags. These differences were very closely related to the specific habits and habitat of the dominant species.

scholarly journals Multioppia (Multioppia) biciliata sp. n. new species of oribatid mites from Iran (Acari: Oribatida: Oppiidae)

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Akrami ◽  
S.R. Bastan
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Oribatid Mite ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
Identification Key ◽  
Western Iran ◽  
The Family ◽  
Oribatid Mite Species

A new oribatid mite species of the family Oppiidae, <em>Multioppia</em> (<em>Multioppia</em>) <em>biciliata</em> sp. n. is described from Arak, Markazi province, central-western Iran. The new species is characterized by the rounded rostrum; strongly elbowed rostral setae; long sensilli with oblong head, dilated unilaterally, ciliated bilaterally with 15-16 long cilia on outer and 8 short cilia on inner edge; long, thick and bilaterally ciliate notogastral setae; smooth genital and ciliate epimeral, aggenital, anal and adanal setae. An identification key to Iranian species of <em>Multioppia</em> is presented.

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