Host Exploitation and Synchronous Development in a Water Mite Parasite of the Marsh Treader Hydrometra myrae (Hemiptera: Hydrometridae)

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Abstract
All active stages of the marsh treader Hydrometra myrae Bueno are attacked by larvae of the water mite Hydryphantes tenuabilis Marshall, but the parasitic mites become fully engorged on only adult hosts. All mites attach for the 1st time by jumping onto the host from the water surface, but as the host molts, the mites crawl to the next instar. Initially attaching mites predominate on the venter and legs; transferring mites on the dorsum of the host. Adult hosts bear mites of similar sizes on the dorsum because transferring mites attach simultaneously and engorgement proceeds at the same rate, but they carry mites of smaller and variable sizes on the venter and legs because initially attaching mites can parasitize the host for as long as 6 or 7 days after ecdysis. The incidence of parasitized hosts and the mean number of mites per host increase as the host develops from instar I to the adult. Mite loads appear to be linearly related to host age.

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