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Do kin selection and intra-sexual selection operate in spider mites?
1Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. yutsat@res.agr.hokudai.ac.jp
Experimental & Applied Acarology
|January 13, 2001
Summary
Male spider mite aggression varies by species, influenced by relatedness and mating conditions. Kin selection likely explains these behavioral differences in spider mites, which are good models for studying haplo-diploidy evolution.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Two spider mite species, Schizotetranychus longus and S. miscanthi, exhibit contrasting male reproductive behaviors.
- S. longus males display mild interactions, while S. miscanthi males exhibit extreme aggression towards conspecific males.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary basis of differing male-male aggression in two spider mite species.
- To test the hypothesis that kin selection drives variations in male antagonism based on relatedness.
Main Methods:
- Field and experimental observations of mating populations.
- Analysis of male-male aggression and distribution patterns.
- Correlation analysis between aggression and population structure.
Main Results:
- S. longus populations experience inbreeding due to low male numbers, contrasting with S. miscanthi's outbreeding conditions.
- Clinal trends in S. miscanthi male aggression support the kin selection hypothesis.
- Experimental aggression levels correlate with observed field distribution patterns.
Conclusions:
- The kin selection hypothesis provides a robust explanation for the observed differences in male spider mite antagonism.
- Spider mites serve as valuable model organisms for research into the evolution of haplo-diploidy, encompassing behavior, ecology, and genetics.
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