Records of polymorphism in the mite family Scutacaridae (Acari, Tarsonemina)
1991 - Volume: 32 Issue: 2 pages: 119-138
Keywords
Acari
Scutacaridae
polymorphism
phoresy
breeding experiments
Abstract
A previously unknown female polymorphism was found in breeding experiments in the scutacarid species Archidispmus minor (Karafiat, 1959) and A. magnificus (Karafiat, 1959). Both species have two different female morphs, one of which in each case uses beetles as transport hosts. This phoretic female differs sharply from the nonphoretic form as its morphological and ethological characteristics are adapted to the phoretic behavior. Both females are capable of reproducing the other morphic type. Each of the species examined has only one nonphoretic male. The breeding results and the descriptions of the two female forms are given.
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