When did tick divergence from other mites potentially begin according to genetic analysis?
Answer
Potentially around 250 million years ago
Genetic analysis and fossil evidence suggest a timeline placing the early evolution of ticks firmly in the Mesozoic Era, specifically estimating that their divergence from other mite relatives occurred approximately 250 million years ago. This ancient origin is significant because it has afforded pathogens carried by ticks an immense span of time to co-evolve alongside vertebrate hosts, establishing the complex disease dynamics observed currently. This deep history confirms that ticks have existed since before the age of massive reptiles, highlighting an incredibly long, uninterrupted period of evolutionary pressure that led to their current specialized form.
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