On two wild host plants, Calystegia japonica Choisy (Convolvulaceae) and Cayratia japonica (Thunb.) Gagnep. (Vitaceae), more tetranychid mites were found on curved leaves than on flat leaves. In addition, more Cay. japonica leaflets inoculated with Tetranychus kanzawai Kishida (Acari: Tetranychidae) females became curved than those without the mite, suggesting that T. kanzawai actively deforms the leaves of its host plants. In the presence of the predatory mite Neoseiulus womersleyi Schicha (Acari: Phytoseiidae), the fecundity of T. kanzawai was indirectly reduced. However, this negative effect of predators was mitigated on curved leaves compared with that on flat leaves. In the presence of predators, T. kanzawai females on curved leaves laid more eggs on webs than those on flat leaves, suggesting that curved leaves provide more refuge for T. kanzawai, which could be a benefit of leaf deformation.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 January 2007
Spider Mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) Deform Their Host Plant Leaves: An Investigation from the Viewpoint of Predator Avoidance
K. Oku,
S. Yano
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
It is not available for individual sale.
This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
It is not available for individual sale.
Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Vol. 100 • No. 1
January 2007
Vol. 100 • No. 1
January 2007
indirect effect
leaf deformation
Neoseiulus womersleyi
Tetranychus kanzawai
webs