Using DNA Markers in Studies of Chigger Mites (Acariformes, Trombiculidae)

Abstract

This study reviews the available molecular studies on chigger mites (Acari, Trombiculidae). The vast majority of publications focus on sample identifications. Nucleotide sequences of chigger mites deposited in databases have been obtained through research on biodiversity, population structure, mitochondrial gene arrangement, and mite phylogeny. The COI sequences of mites deposited in GenBank and BOLDSystems were analyzed to estimate the usefulness of barcoding in chigger mite systematics. Our results show the division of the sequences into two groups: one (Leptotrombidium species) lacks two amino acids while the other has them. The variable site matches one of the loops of the COI protein. The current level of knowledge of the nucleotide sequences in chigger mites may lead to misidentifications of samples if only molecular tools are used. Further studies on other species and other genes, especially nuclear ones, are needed.