Insight into molecular phylogeny and haplotype diversity of the dog louse fly (Hippobosca longipennis) in India.

BACKGROUND: Hippobosca longipennis (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) is an obligate haematophagous fly of domestic and wild vertebrate hosts across the arid and semi-arid regions of Asia, Africa, Southern Europe, and the Middle East. Being a potential vector for many pathogens and a tormenting ectoparasite, the present study was envisaged to perform molecular characterization, phylogeny, and population structure analysis of H. longipennis infesting dogs in Haryana, India. METHODOLOGY: The molecular characterization and phylogeny of the flies collected from the infested dogs (n = 8) were performed by targeting the partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. A global analyses of genetic differentiation, haplotype, and population structure were carried out on the present study isolates with GenBank-catalogued sequences of H. longipennis. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the present study sequences of H. longipennis clustered within a monophyletic clade together with sequences from Morocco, Egypt, and Kenya. However, two sequences (OL505727 and MK405667) from Portugal and Romania, respectively, assorted with the out-group species sequence of Hippobosca equina. High haplotype (0.561 ± 0.154) and low nucleotide diversities (0.0019 ± 0.0009) were recorded for the complete dataset, whereas present study isolates exhibited low haplotype (0.250 ± 0.180) and nucleotide diversities (0.0003 ± 0.0002). Non-significant negative values were recorded for the neutrality indices Tajima’s D, Fu and Li’s D and Fu and Li’s F for the overall dataset (-1.428, -1.713, and − 1.859, respectively) as well as for the present study isolates (-1.054, -1.126, and − 1.203, respectively). CONCLUSION: The present study addresses an existing research gap and provides novel insights into the population genetic structure of H. longipennis, based on the mitochondrial cox1 gene analysis. These genetic data can contribute to epidemiological and vector management studies on dog louse flies.