Different maternal effects on offspring performance in tetranychid mites, Tetranychus kanzawai and T. urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Abstract

Female adults and their offspring of tetranychid mites, Tetranychus kanzawai and T. urticae, live together on the same leaf. To clarify whether the presence of female adults affects the performance of offspring (maternal effect), we examined the performance index (fecundity after maturation) of juveniles that had lived with female adults, or without them. In either species, the presence of female adults reduced the performance index of juveniles. The effect of T. kanzawai was more conspicuous than that of T. urticae. On the other hand, female adults of T. kanzawai dispersed from an infested leaf earlier than those of T. urticae. The correlation between the maternal effect and dispersal capacity of T. kanzawai and T. urticae was discussed.