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Issue: Vol. 25 No. 1: 30 Dec. 2024
Type: Review
Published: 2024-12-30
DOI: 10.11646/zoosymposia.25.1.5
Page range: 56-62
Abstract views: 34
PDF downloaded: 0

How long Parasitidae (Acari: Parasitiformes: Mesostigmata) live?

Section of Applied Entomology; Department of Plant Protection; Warsaw University of Life Sciences; Nowoursynowska 159; Warsaw 02-776; Poland
Section of Applied Entomology; Department of Plant Protection; Warsaw University of Life Sciences; Nowoursynowska 159; Warsaw 02-776; Poland
Acari life-history lifespan development population parameters

Abstract

Understanding the lifespan of organisms is fundamental to explaining their ecology, behaviour, and evolutionary dynamics. The present review provided a survey of the longevity and other life history data of the Parasitidae, a diverse family of mites known for their predatory and phoretic life strategies. This survey covered the influence of temperature and prey preferences as potential factors affecting lifespan variability within this taxonomic group. The findings reveal a wide longevity range, with developmental times ranging from 12 to over 60 days. Remarkably, the presence of phoretic deutonymphs complicates those estimations, with limited data on their maximal lifespan. Laboratory experiments suggest varied generation times, ranging from 8.5 to 10.2 days, yet often overlook the duration of deutonymph’s development and overwintering stage. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the Parasitidae and underscores the importance of future studies on their life-history dynamics.

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