Variability of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase first subunit gene (COI) fragments in several tick species of the marginatus group (Ixodidae, Amblyomminae, Dermacentor)

Abstract

This paper analyses variability of the nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase first subunit gene fragments in four tick species of the marginatus group—Dermacentor marginatus, D. silvarum, D. niveus, and D. nuttalli. It is noted that, with the exception of D. niveus, the clustering of mitotypes in the marginatus group does not show a clear correspondence of the species identity of ticks, which had preliminarily been established based on morphological characters.