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Genetic Variation in Foraging Traits and Life-History Traits of the Predatory Mite Neoseiulus womersleyi (Acari: Phytoseiidae) among Isofemale Lines

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The predatory mite Neoseiulus womersleyi shows a significant correlation between its olfactory response and dispersal tendency in different geographical populations. This study investigated the genetic background of the relationship using isofemale lines. Y-tube olfactometer tests confirmed that there was a genetic component in predator response to herbivore-induced plant volatiles. Wind tunnel tests in the absence of the herbivore-induced plant volatiles revealed that the dispersal tendencies of N. womersleyi exhibited genetic variation among isofemale lines, and other experiments revealed the existence of significant differences in prey consumption rate, fecundity, and developmental time. However, there was no genetic correlation between behavioral traits (olfactory response, innate dispersal) and the other traits, suggesting that the positive correlation between the behavioral traits was not caused by genetic factors.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank Dr. T. Noda and Dr. N. Hinomoto for critical review of an early draft of this paper. This work was supported by the Program for Young Researchers with Fixed-Term Appointments, Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology, MEXT, Japan.

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  1. Insect Interaction Research Unit, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Ohwashi 1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan

    Taro Maeda

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Maeda, T. Genetic Variation in Foraging Traits and Life-History Traits of the Predatory Mite Neoseiulus womersleyi (Acari: Phytoseiidae) among Isofemale Lines. J Insect Behav 19, 573–589 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10905-006-9044-1

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