Permeability to water in different adaptive phases of the same instar in the American house-dust mite
1975 - Volume: 17 Issue: 4 pages: 734-744
Keywords
Acari
Dermatophagoides farinae
water relations
protonymph
nymph
Abstract
The permeability to water in active and quiescent phases of the protonymphal stage was studied by using tritiated water as a tracer. The rate constant for tritium loss (assuming a first order reaction) was used to compare the two forms and also to follow the condition of the quiescent mite for a longer period of time. It was postulated that the quiescent nymphs were injured when they were disturbed by being collected. They exchanged water IO times slower than active mites for 16 days. Thereafter, the exchange of water was practically zero. Undisturbed quiescent mites may be practically impermeable to water. Dead quiescent mites lost water faster than disturbed ones. The half-life of water exchange in active protonymphs was 20-4 hours and in disturbed quiescent mites 218.7 hours.
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