Variability in the life history of Unionicola crassipes, a sponge-associated water mite (Acari: Unionicolidae)

Abstract

The life history of a member of the widely distributed Unionicola crassipes complex (Acari: Unionicolidae) in a foothills pond in Alberta, Canada, differs from those previously described for this taxon. Two years are required for a female to develop from an egg to an ovipositing adult. Fertilized females overwinter and oviposit in the sponge Eunapius fragilis in early May. Larvae emerge in late May to early June and parasitize chironomids of the genus Tanytarsus. Engorged larvae drop from their insect hosts and return to sponges for the protonymph resting stage. Active, predaceous deutonymphs develop from protonymphs in early summer. Deutonymphs overwinter and enter the tritonymph resting stage, also in sponges, in early May. Summer adults emerge from the tritonymph stage in late May to early June. Males emerge first, but there is an overall female bias to the sex ratio of emerging adults. Growth of sclerotized and unsclerotized parts occurs in adults over the summer, during which time females appear to suffer greater mortality than males, because the sex ratio is 1:1 in September. It is primarily mated females that overwinter for a second time. A population decline in the summer of 1987 was correlated with degeneration of sponges; variation in the life histories of sponge-associated water mites is discussed in light of this correlation.