Reproductive parameters of four species of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia)

Abstract

This paper presents information on the oviposition, embryonic development, egg production, and reproductive success in water mites (Hydrachnidia) under laboratory conditions. The study was carried out on four common and numerous species in Poland: Hydrodroma despiciens (lake population), Hygrobates fluviatilis (river population), Hygrobates longipalpis (lake and river populations) and Mideopsis orbicularis (lake and river populations). For H. longipalpis and M. orbicularis there were no significant differences between the number of eggs deposited by females from river and lake populations. The time of embryonic development in all species was relatively similar. In all analysed species, the mean time of embryonic development shortened with the lengthening of the day. All species were characterised by very high egg hatching success.

Influence of temperature and light–dark cycle on hatching of Eylais extendens

“…Little research has been done on the embryonic development of water mites and the impact of environmental parameters on hatching time and numbers. Most research was involved with the number of eggs spawned and the hatching time specific to particular species of water mites and the environmental determinants of these processes (Davids 1973 ; Mayer 1985 ; Daszkiewicz and Zawal 2004 ; Włodarczyk and Zawal 2004 ; Martin 2010 ; Dzierzgowska et al 2011 ; Kłosowska et al 2011 ; Cichocka et al 2015 ; Bańkowska et al 2016 ), whereas only two studies concerned the influence of physicochemical parameters on hatching time and numbers (Rousch et al 1997 ; Martin 2010 ). Egg diapause has often been reported for mites in general (Walter and Proctor 1999 ), but has been recorded much less frequently for Trombidia (Sabori and Zhang 1996 ; Sabori and Kamali 1999 ), and only a few observations pertain to water mites (Nielsen and Davids 1975 ; Gerecke 2002 ; Martin 2010 ; Smith et al 2010 ).…”