Juvenile survival and development in three Phytoseiid species (Acari: Phytoseiidae) feeding on con- and heterospecific immatures

Momen, F. M. and El-Borolossy, M. (2010) Juvenile survival and development in three Phytoseiid species (Acari: Phytoseiidae) feeding on con- and heterospecific immatures. Acta Phytopathologica et Entomologica Hungarica, 45 (2). pp. 349-357. ISSN 0238-1249

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Abstract

Juvenile survival and development in Typhlodromus negevi Swirski andAmitai, Typhlodromips swirskii (Athias Henriot) and Phytoseius finitimus Ribaga feeding on con- and heterospecific phytoseiid immatures were studied in the laboratory at 28±1 °C and 70±5% RH and 16 h photoperiod. Larvae of all phytoseiids studied do not feed at all to reach the subsequent life stage. The majority (approximately 90%) of P. finitimus protonymphs cannibalizing larvae died before reaching the deutonymphal stage. Only two individuals completed juvenile development.All P. finitimus protonymphs failed to reach the subsequent stage and reach the adulthood when offered interspecificaly prey. Cannibalizing immature individuals of T. negevi and T. swirskii were able to reach adulthood. The mean developmental times of cannibalizing T. swirskii and when feeding on T. negevi larvae were similar and significantly shorter than that the former fed on larvae of P. finitimus . Cannibalizing T. negevi led to a significantly longer developmental period than the former fed interspecifically. Protonymphs and deutonymphs of T. negevi and T. swirskii ate nearly twice more of P. finitimus larvae than when fed con- or heterospecifically prey. The present study indicates that P. finitimus showed from a very low tendency to feed on conspecific prey to nontendency to feed heterospecific prey. Results show also that phytoseiid immatures are suitable prey for developing stages of some polyphagous phytoseiids. Since all 3 phytoseiids inhabiting fig trees, their immatures can be regarded as potential prey for competitive phytoseiids ( T. negevi and T. swirskii ) in time of food scarcity (eriophyid mites).

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