Vol. 31, No. 1 Internat. J. Acarol. 63 SUPPOSED OVOVIVIPARITY AND VIVIPARITY IN THE COCONUT MITE, ACERIA GUERRERONIS KEIFER (PROSTIGMATA: ERIOPHYIDAE), AS A RESULT OF FEMALE SENILITY Denise Navia, 1 Carlos H. W. Flechtmann 2 and James W. Amrine, Jr. 3 1. Embrapa Recursos Genbticos e Biotecnotogia, Cx. Postal 02372, 70.770-900 Brasitia, DF, Brazil, e-mail:
[email protected]; 2. CNPq-Brazit Researcher, Departamento de Entomotogia, Fitopatologia e Zoologia Agrfcola, ESALQ/ Universidade de Silo Paulo, Cx. Postal 9, 13.418-900 Piracicaba, SP. Brazil, e-mail:
[email protected]; 3. Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia Universi~, Morgantown, WV 26506-6108, USA. ABSTRACT - Senescent females showing apparent ovoviviparity and/or viviparity in Aceria guerreronis Keifer are reported from Brazil, India and Sri Lanka populations; the phenomenon is explained. Keywords - Acari, Eriophyidae, reproduction, embryonic development, Brazil, India, Sri Lanka. INTRODUCTION phytoptus ficifoliae Keifer was reported to be an exclu- sively viviparous form, lacking the egg stage by Eriophyoid mites are entirely oviparous. However, Abou-Awad et al. (2000). These authors may have failed apparent ovoviviparity, in the sense of eggs being laid to observe the eggs which in some species are flattened containing embryos in an advanced state of development against the leaf and are transparent. Amrine (1996, with eclosion occurring soon after they are laid, or vivi- unpubl.) collected flattened, sculptured eggs of Aculus parity, when a female produces living young instead of ulae on upper surfaces of Carpinus betulus leaves in eggs (Evans, 1992), has been reported. These reports are Morgantown, WV. instances of misunderstanding of female senility; females The coconut mite Aceria guerreronis Keifer has just became too old and feeble to lay eggs.