Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois
INRS State Scientific Surveys
Research Projects
Phylogenomics and Origins of Parasitism in Lice
What was the ancestral host for lice? Did dinosaurs have lice? Does parasitism by lice have more than one origin? These questions are being addressed by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny for the major lineages of parasitic lice (Phthiraptera) and their close relatives, book-lice and bark-lice (Psocoptera). These methods include using next-generation sequencing (Illumina) to sequence entire genomes and identify ortholog genes for phylogenetics from these genomes using a Target Restricted Assembly Method (TRAM). This work was supported by NSF Systematics Panel Grant DEB-0612938.
Related Publications
Johnson, K. P., K. Yoshizawa, and V. S. Smith. 2004. Multiple origins of parasitism in lice. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 271:1771-1776.
Yoshizawa, K. and K. P. Johnson. 2010. How stable is the "Polyphyly of Lice" hypothesis?: A multigene phylogeny of lice and their relatives (Insecta: Psocodea). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 55:939-951.
Johnson, K. P., K. K. O. Walden, and H. M. Robertson. 2010. A target restricted assembly method (TRAM) for phylogenomics. Nature Precedings. http://hdl.handle.net/ 10101/npre.2010.4612.1
Smith, V. S., T. Ford, K. P. Johnson, P. C. D. Johnson, K. Yoshizawa, and J. Light. 2011. Multiple lineages of lice pass through the K-Pg boundary. Biology Letters.
This project is in collaboration with Kazunori Yoshizawa (University of Hokkaido) and Edward Mockford (Illinois State University).
Phylogeny and Microhabitat Specialization in Avian Ischnocera
Avian feather lice (Ischnocera) specialize on several different microhabitats on the body of birds. These specialists include wing lice, head lice, and body lice. Several groups of birds harbor different genera of lice each occupying a different microhabitat. How did this pattern arise? One possibility is that each specilization evolved once and the lice subsequently radiated with birds. The second possibility is that lice specializing on different microhabitats evolved repeatedly, often on the same group of birds, resulting in convergence across avian feather lice. Preliminary data supports this latter pattern to some extent – duck wing lice are closely related to duck head lice, turkey body lice are closely related to turkey wing lice, etc. The goal of this project is to reconstruct a phylogeny for avian Ischnocera from both molecular and morphological data and uncover the pattern of the evolution of microhabitat specialization.
This project was funded by NSF Systematics Panel Grant DEB-0107891 and is in collaboration with Vincent Smith (Natural History Museum, London).
Related Publication: Smith, V. S., R. D. M. Page, and K. P. Johnson. 2004. Data incongruence and the problem of avian louse phylogeny. Zoologica Scripta 33:239-259.
Systematics of Songbird Lice: Brueelia
The genus Brueelia is one of the most speciose genera of lice. Previous taxonomic treatment of this genus indicates that most species are host specific. However, members of this genus have the most records of phoresis (hitch-hiking) on hippoboscid flies, and evidence from DNA sequences suggests this genus may not be as host-specific as indicated by taxonomy. The goal of this project is to document the diversity and host distribution of Brueelia and provide a phylogenetic tree for this genus.
This study is funded by NSF DEB-1050706 in collaboration with Sarah Bush at the University of Utah.
Related publication: Johnson, K. P., R. J. Adams, and D. H. Clayton. 2002. The phylogeny of the louse genus Brueelia does not reflect host phylogeny. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 77:233-247.
The Population Genetics of Host-Specifity in Duck Lice
The lice occurring on waterfowl are among the least specific of all avian lice. However, it is expected that barriers to dispersal in louse populations will exist between host species and between continents. The goal of this project is to assess the level of genetic differentiation between duck louse populations on different host species and in different geographic regions. This project was funded by a University of Illinois Arnold O. Beckman Research Award and is in collaboration with Kevin McCracken (University of Alaska, Fairbanks).
Phylogeny of Columbiformes
Pigeons and doves are a large group of birds (around 315 species) with a worldwide distribution. Several ongoing projects are aimed at reconstructing a phylogeny for this entire order of birds. These phylogenies will be used in comparisons with phylogenies of feather lice from these birds. Sub-projects include:
Zenaida Related Publication: Johnson, K. P. and D. H. Clayton. 2000. A molecular phylogeny of the dove genus Zenaida: Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences. Condor 102:864-870.
Streptopelia and Columba — Related Publication: Johnson, K. P., S. de Kort, K. Dinwoodey, A. C. Mateman, C. Ten Cate, C. M. Lessells, and D. H. Clayton. 2001. A molecular phylogeny of the dove genera Streptopelia and Columba. The Auk 118:874-887.
Geotrygonand Leptotila — in collaboration with Jason Weckstein
Related Publication: Johnson, K. P. and J. D. Weckstein. 2011. The Central American land bridge as an engine of diversification in New World doves. Journal of Biogeography 38:1069-1076.
Phabine Doves — in collaboration with Terry Chesser