Experimental and Applied Acarology (2017) 71, 63-70

Lien T. Luong and Dewmi Subasinghe (2017)
A facultative ectoparasite attains higher reproductive success as a parasite than its free-living conspecifics
Experimental and Applied Acarology 71 (1), 63-70
Abstract: Comparative and phylogenetic studies reveal that parasites evolved from free-living ancestors, but the underlying processes and mechanisms are not well understood. In order for selection to favor the evolution of parasitism, there must be pre-existing adaptations for host exploitation and a fitness advantage favoring the transition to parasitism. Here, we experimentally investigate the differential reproductive success of a facultative parasite, Macrocheles subbadius. Lifetime reproductive success was higher among female mites that fed on fruit fly hemolymph as parasites compared to free-living mites. The per capita lifetime fecundity for parasitic females was 2.4 times that of free-living females. The offspring sex ratio also differed between the two modes of life, with parasitic mites producing more sons and hence a relatively weaker female-biased sex ratio (0.61) than mites that were free-living (0.94). These results suggest that parasitic female mites allocate more resources to egg production, and were limited by sperm rather than food, as was the case with free-living mites. The higher lifetime reproductive success of mites that opportunistically feed on host hemolymph provides the fitness advantage necessary for the evolution of parasitism.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Macrocheles (genus - predators)