Biological Aspects of Scheloribates Jaevigatus (Acari: Oribatida) when Fed on Mixture of the Free-Living Nematod, Eudiplogaster phlagemcaudatus and Potato in the Laboratory

Abstract

Scheloribates Jaevigatus (Koch) was able to develop and reproduce when fed on mixture of free-living nematod, Eudiplogaster phlagellicaudatus (Andrassy) and potato. Temperature had a significant effect on duration of the life cycle and all life span of this species. As temperature changed between 25 and 30°C, the incubation period decreased. Both male and female immature stages decreased when temperature increased between 25 and 30°C. Life cycle of male reached adulthood in a shorter period than that of female. This period decreased from 24.67 ± 0.26 to 21.25 ± 0.53 days for male and from 28.01 ± 0.66 to 23.16 ± 0.98 days for female at 25 and 30°C, respectively. Temperature also negatively affected the adult female longevity and fecundity. It was found that the greatest average number of eggs deposited by female was 36.88 ± 2.13 at 25°C; this decreased to 29.63 ± 2.55 at 30°C.

Soil Nematodes as a Means of Conservation of Soil Predatory Mites for Biocontrol

“…Based on their observations, these authors suggested that oribatids could be an important regulating factor for nematode populations. Following these studies, nematode consumption was shown for various oribatids, yet only in a few cases (e.g., [6,[97][98][99]) species were reported to have succeeded in developing on a nematode-based diet. As for the type of nematodes, most studies reveal FLN as an important prey, but feeding and reproduction on PPNs and APNs takes place too (Table S1).…”