Life history, trophic behavior, and description of Gamasellodes vermivorax n. sp. (Mesostigmata: Ascidae), a predator of nematodes and arthropods in semiarid grassland soils
- 1 July 1987
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Canadian Journal of Zoology
- Vol. 65 (7) , 1689-1695
- https://doi.org/10.1139/z87-261
Abstract
All life stages of Gamasellodes vermivorax n. sp. (Mesostigmata: Ascidae), a predator of mites, collembolans, and nematodes in semiarid grassland soils, are described. Female to female generation time is 10 days on a diet of rhabditid nematodes at 24 °C. Each adult female may produce one to three eggs daily for at least 2 weeks. Female deutonymphs are guarded by adult males. Isolated female deutonymphs molt to adults which begin laying eggs within 48 h of emergence. All eggs laid by unfertilized females develop into males, indicating a haplodiploid sex determination mechanism. In a microcosm experiment, nematode densities were negatively correlated with G. vermivorax densities.Keywords
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