Reappraisal on the Diversity of Ticks and Their Endosymbiont Prevalent in Indo-myanmar Border

Abstract

Abstract In this study, we explored the genetic diversity of ixodid ticks for the first time from Myanmar border of India, Mizoram and investigate their genetic affinities with other Indian isolates as well as with different populations from other countries. For genetic analyses, we employed phylogenetic inferences, genetic divergence, and haplotype networks based on the mitochondrial 16S rRNA, nuclear ITS-2, and 18S rRNA markers. We also implement multivariate principal coordinate analysis to visualize the genetic differentiation across ixodid ticks. Our genetic analyses affirm the identity of the ticks infesting bovine livestock in Mizoram as Rhipicephalus microplus, Haemaphysalis bispinosa, and Amblyomma habraeum. The phylogenetic inferences drawn in this study reveal instances of polytomies within Rhipicephalus species complex which could potentially arise from incomplete lineage sorting as a consequence of rapid diversification. Moreover, the genetic analysis also dictated R. microplus s.l. populations in India, China, and Pakistan constitute a closely related matrilineal lineage and form a distinct cluster of haplotypes with respect to R. microplus s.s. Despite the study, population of R. microplus from Mizoram nested within a single haplotype, our study signified a noticeable intraspecies divergence within R. microplus s.l. across India revealing the recovery of seven distinct matrilineal haplotypes based on the mitochondrial 16S rRNA marker, while a single and three distinct haplotypes are seen in the nuclear 18S rRNA and ITS-2 markers, respectively. This study also unveiled an infection rate of 5% for bovine haemoparasites and 97% for Coxiella-like-endosymbionts among the studied tick population. In conclusion, this study addresses a significant knowledge gap by providing the first documentation report on tick diversity within Myanmar border of India, Mizoram state.