Data from: The gnathosoma is a bad character rather than evidence for mite monophyly
Data files
Mar 19, 2025 version files 206.28 MB
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Micropsammus_sp1_FSCA_00030239.oib
14.98 MB
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Nanorchestes_sp1_FSCA_00030367.lsm
53.85 MB
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Nanorchestes_sp2_FSCA_00030375.oib
28.35 MB
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README.md
1.40 KB
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Stigmalychus_sp_FSCA_00030369.lsm
93.68 MB
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Tydeus_sp_FSCA_00030165.oib
15.41 MB
Abstract
In recent years, the case for the monophyly of mites or Acari (Parasitiformes + Acariformes) has looked increasingly weak. Much of the remaining doubt about the artificiality of this taxon stems from the importance long attributed to the gnathosoma, widely considered the most convincing morphological character supporting monophyly. The gnathosoma has long been interpreted as originating via the fusion together of the palpal coxae, which is thought to have contributed to the consolidation of the mouthparts into a compact feeding apparatus that articulates as a single unit. However, an investigation of the mouthparts of Acariformes, reported herein, revealed that fusion together of the palpal coxae is an uncommon state that convergently evolved in multiple acariform taxa rather than evolving only once, as a synapomorphy uniting Acariformes and Parasitiformes. Moreover, other defining features of the gnathosoma involve either very different modifications or structures that are not homologous between both main lineages of mites. Therefore, the gnathosoma is a bad character—poorly defined and based on a series of misinterpretations—that should not be treated as evidence for mite monophyly.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.pc866t21f
Description of the data and file structure
The files are confocal z-stacks of mite mouthparts that were generated using a Zeiss LSM 710 (Nanorchestes sp. 1, and Stigmalychus sp.) and an Olympus Spectral FV1000 (Micropsammus sp. 1, Nanorchestes sp. 2, and Tydeus sp.). The files can be viewed as 3d models in ImageJ (see code/software).
Excitation was via lasers of 405 nm (Micropsammus sp. 1 and Nanorchestes sp. 1) and 488 nm (Nanorchestes sp. 2, Stigmalychus sp. and Tydeus sp.). Autofluorescence was captured via broad detection bands from the wavelength of the laser up to around 650 nm.
Code/software
ImageJ is recommended because it is open source and freely available.
In order to view the models, the bio-formats plugin may need to be installed.
https://docs.openmicroscopy.org/bio-formats/5.8.2/users/imagej/installing.html
The files can be segmented and turned into mesh models using 3DSlicer (also free and open source). In order to do this the files should first be converted into a series of Tiffs or Jpegs in ImageJ.