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The respiratory system of the femaleVarroa jacobsoni (Oudemans): its adaptations to a range of environmental conditions

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Abstract

The morphology of the respiratory system of the femaleVarroa jacobsoni (Oudemans, 1904) is described. The mobile, appendage-like, emergent peritreme may be ‘raised’ to lie against the ventral integument or ‘lowered’ between the third and fourth pair of legs. It is ‘raised’ when the mite is submerged in the liquid food of the host's brood chamber, where respiration occurs via an external plastron, formed by an airfilm trapped between the rough cuticle of the ventral integument and the retracted legs. The peritreme is also raised when the mite is outside the hive in sub-saturated air, to reduce water vapour transpiration, and it is ‘lowered’ in the carbon-dioxide-rich and water-saturated hive atmosphere, where it facilitates rapid removal of carbon dioxide. Thus gaseous exchange in the female mites may be adjusted by the position of the peritreme.

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Abbreviations

a:

ascending limb of peritrematic groove

c:

hollow (haemocoel) core of peritreme

d:

descending limb of peritrematic groove

e:

endocuticle

f:

‘flange’ of the inner stigmatic orifice

g:

peritrematic groove

i:

‘funnel’ of inner stigmatic orifice

k:

circum-spiracular pocket at base of peritreme

1:

peritrematic slit

m:

micropapillae

n:

fringe of marginal setae

o:

outer stigmatic orifice (=stigma)

p:

emergent peritreme

r:

rough integument at bases of leg coxae

s:

stigmatic atrium

t:

tracheal atrium

u:

‘outer’ lip of outėr stigmatic orifice

v:

‘inner’ lip of outer stigmatic orifice

x:

tracheal trunks

z:

thick cuticle of peritrematic groove

1,2,3,4:

numbers of legs or leg coxae

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Terrestrial and Freshwater Life Sciences Division, British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, CB3 0ET, Cambridge, UK

    P. J. A. Pugh

  2. School of Biological Sciences, University College of Swansea, Swansea, West Glamorgan, UK

    P. E. King & M. R. Fordy

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  1. P. J. A. Pugh
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  2. P. E. King
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  3. M. R. Fordy
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Pugh, P.J.A., King, P.E. & Fordy, M.R. The respiratory system of the femaleVarroa jacobsoni (Oudemans): its adaptations to a range of environmental conditions. Exp Appl Acarol 15, 123–139 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01275523

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