12: Palp Fiction: Molecular phylogeny and palp morphology of the predatory mite family Cunaxidae

On-Demand

Presenting Author(s)

Marla Schwarzfeld

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Co-Author(s)

VN

Victoria Nowell

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
MY

Monica Young

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Cunaxidae are a common and widespread family of predatory mites. The family is divided into six subfamilies, five of which are found throughout North America. The subfamilies are primarily distinguished based on palp morphology. A recent morphological phylogeny provided the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the family, suggesting that two of the subfamilies are likely not monophyletic. However the family has never been assessed using molecular data. We are using mitochondrial and nuclear genes to elucidate the cunaxid phylogeny. According to COI, most subfamilies are monophyletic, though with a lack of support for the deeper nodes in the tree. And 18S is proving to be both interesting and problematic in an unexpected way…