Carotenoids function in photoperiodic induction of diapause in a predacious mite.

Predacious mites fed for two generations solely on the eggs of wild-type spider mites responded normally to short day lengths by entering diapause. However, predacious mites fedfor two generations on eggs of albino spider mites, which are completely devoid of carotenoids, did not respond to short-day photoperiods. Apparently carotenoids are essential for photoperiodic induction; possibly a carotenoid or carotenoid derivative functions as the photopigment concerned in photoperiodic light reception in these mites.