A molecular analysis of penguin and chewing lice coevolution from Adelie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and Emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri) penguins

Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) at Cape Crozier (15-16 November, 1999) were captured and checked for lice as well. Two species of chewing lice were found, Austrogonioides antarcticus and A. mawsoni on adelies and emperors respectively.

The aim of the project was to obtain specimens of all species of lice (15) parasitising penguins (17) and to use molecular and morphological characters to produce a phylogeny for the lice and to compare the lice phylogeny to the penguin phylogeny. PCR was used to allow sequencing of genetic material from the lice, with the sequencing of two gene regions (12s and Cytochrome Oxidase 1). Lice speciation events were dated using molecular data to differentiate between co-speciation and host switching events.