Saito, Y., 1979.
Comparative studies on life histories of three species of spider mites (Acarina: Tetranychidae). Applied Entomology and Zoology, 14: 83-94.
Abstract
Oligonychus ununguis (Jacobi), Panonychus citri (McG.), Tetranychus urticae Koch were reared in the laboratory in Japan at about 25 deg C and 52% RH on leaves of chestnut (Castanea crenata), a species of citrus (Citrus unshiu) and red clover, respectively. The total development time was shorter, and total fecundity and average daily egg production were greater for T. urticae than for the other 2 species. The percentage egg-hatch was generally high for all 3 species, it was lowest for O. ununguis. Females constituted about 50-55, 70-80 and 65-70% of the populations of the 3 species, respectively. The intrinsic rate of increase, the net reproductive rate and the mean generation time were calculated to be 0.178, 24.72 and 18.02, respectively, for O. ununguis, 0.162, 24.36 and 19.71 for P. citri, and 0.259, 65 and 16.16 for T. urticae. It is suggested that the high reproductive potential of T. urticae is the result of adaptation to originally unstable habitats
