Diapause and quiescence as two main kinds of dormancy and their significance in life cycles of mites and ticks (Chelicerata: Arachnida: Acari). part 2. Parasitiformes

Abstract

Concerning the problem of life history and such an important its aspect as seasonality of life cycles and their control enabled by dormant stages, the parasitiform mites reveal the obvious similarity with the acariform mites. This concerns the presence of both main kinds of dormancy (diapause and quiescence). The great importance in the seasonal control of life cycles in some parasitiform mites, like in acariform mites, belongs also for combinations of diapause with non-diapause arrests, particularly with the post-diapause quiescence (PDQ). This type of quiescence evoked after termination of diapause and enabling more accu- rate time-adjustment in recommencement of active development, is characteristic of both lineages of the Parasitiformes – Ixodida and Mesostigmata (particularly Gamasida). The available data show that in ixodid ticks the PDQ may be resulted similarly after developmental and behavioral diapause. Reproductive diapause combined with the PDQ is characteristic of some gamasid mites (particula ly the family Phytoseiidae), while most gamasid and uropodid mites with phoretic dispersal reveal the dormant state (apparently of diapause nature) at the deutonymphal stage. The uncertainty between diapause and non-diapause dormancy is retained in some many cases (even in ixodid ticks and phytoseiid mites), and the necessity of further thorough study of different forms of diapause and non-diapause arrests in representatives of the Acari is noted therefore.