The Role of Host-Range Expansion and Co-Speciation in Host–Parasite Associations With the Divergence of the Great Tit Species Complex
Huang, Xi LU ; Ellis, Vincenzo A. LU ; Peng, Yangyang ; Ishtiaq, Farah LU ; Wang, Haitao ; Liang, Wei ; Wu, Qiang ; Bensch, Staffan LU
and Dong, Lu
(2025)
In Ecology and Evolution
15(1).
- Abstract
During the evolution of parasites, co-speciation and host-range expansion are thought to play roles in establishing associations with hosts, while sorting events can lead to dissolution of those associations. To address the roles of these processes, we focus on avian haemosporidian parasites infecting hosts of the intensively studied great tit species complex. We estimated the phylogeography of lineages detected in the species complex, and quantified their transition probabilities among hosts. Lineages detected in different host species presented a strong geographical signal but did not form monophyletic groups. Yet, distributions of lineages are not merely the result of their dispersal limitations, as many lineages that infect only one... (More)
During the evolution of parasites, co-speciation and host-range expansion are thought to play roles in establishing associations with hosts, while sorting events can lead to dissolution of those associations. To address the roles of these processes, we focus on avian haemosporidian parasites infecting hosts of the intensively studied great tit species complex. We estimated the phylogeography of lineages detected in the species complex, and quantified their transition probabilities among hosts. Lineages detected in different host species presented a strong geographical signal but did not form monophyletic groups. Yet, distributions of lineages are not merely the result of their dispersal limitations, as many lineages that infect only one focal species can be found in birds sympatric with other focal species. Besides, closely related lineages that infect the same host species reach more similar rates of infection than expected by chance. Finally, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon lineages infecting P. major, the most recently dispersed species, were more generalized than others, consistent with a pattern of generalist parasites expanding their host ranges by infecting newly encountered host species. Our results suggest that host–parasite associations in this system are mainly the result of sorting events and host-range expansion of parasites, rather than co-speciation.
(Less)
- author
- Huang, Xi
LU
; Ellis, Vincenzo A.
LU
; Peng, Yangyang
; Ishtiaq, Farah
LU
; Wang, Haitao
; Liang, Wei
; Wu, Qiang
; Bensch, Staffan
LU
and Dong, Lu
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- haemosporidian, host-range expansion, host–parasite association, Parus major, phylogeography
- in
- Ecology and Evolution
- volume
- 15
- issue
- 1
- article number
- e70859
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:39839338
- scopus:85215570738
- ISSN
- 2045-7758
- DOI
- 10.1002/ece3.70859
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- id
- d81b5564-b828-4a6d-b3df-3a2546f3775e
- date added to LUP
- 2025-05-05 15:29:59
- date last changed
- 2025-05-06 03:00:02
@article{d81b5564-b828-4a6d-b3df-3a2546f3775e,
abstract = {{<p>During the evolution of parasites, co-speciation and host-range expansion are thought to play roles in establishing associations with hosts, while sorting events can lead to dissolution of those associations. To address the roles of these processes, we focus on avian haemosporidian parasites infecting hosts of the intensively studied great tit species complex. We estimated the phylogeography of lineages detected in the species complex, and quantified their transition probabilities among hosts. Lineages detected in different host species presented a strong geographical signal but did not form monophyletic groups. Yet, distributions of lineages are not merely the result of their dispersal limitations, as many lineages that infect only one focal species can be found in birds sympatric with other focal species. Besides, closely related lineages that infect the same host species reach more similar rates of infection than expected by chance. Finally, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon lineages infecting P. major, the most recently dispersed species, were more generalized than others, consistent with a pattern of generalist parasites expanding their host ranges by infecting newly encountered host species. Our results suggest that host–parasite associations in this system are mainly the result of sorting events and host-range expansion of parasites, rather than co-speciation.</p>}},
author = {{Huang, Xi and Ellis, Vincenzo A. and Peng, Yangyang and Ishtiaq, Farah and Wang, Haitao and Liang, Wei and Wu, Qiang and Bensch, Staffan and Dong, Lu}},
issn = {{2045-7758}},
keywords = {{haemosporidian; host-range expansion; host–parasite association; Parus major; phylogeography}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Ecology and Evolution}},
title = {{The Role of Host-Range Expansion and Co-Speciation in Host–Parasite Associations With the Divergence of the Great Tit Species Complex}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70859}},
doi = {{10.1002/ece3.70859}},
volume = {{15}},
year = {{2025}},
}