Maternal care, larviparous and oviparous reproduction of Hypoaspis larvicolus (Acari: Laelapidae) feeding on astigmatid mites.

Hypoaspis larvicolus (Acari: Laelapidae) (first report from Turkey) occurred together with Sancassania polyphyllae (Acari: Acaridae) on the larvae of the scarab beetle, Polyphylla fullo (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), that were feeding on the roots of strawberry in Aydin, Turkey. Laboratory studies were conducted to (1) observe whether H. larvicolus feeds and completes its life cycle on the various stages of S. polyphyllae or other astigmatid mites, such as Acarus siro, Carpoglyphus lactis and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acaridae), and to determine its population growth when feeding on these prey, and (2) to determine development periods, longevity and fecundity of H. larvicolus feeding on C. lactis. Hypoaspis larvicolus females did not feed on S. polyphyllae, but fed, developed and reproduced when A. siro, C. lactis or T. putrescentiae were provided as prey. Hypoaspis larvicolus is larviparous as well as oviparous. The female lays eggs or gives birth to larvae. If a female gives birth to a larva, it is attached under the female's venter for 1-2 days, a phenomenon recorded for the first time in Hypoaspis; in fact, for the first time in mites. The results of the population growth experiments revealed that H. larvicolus feeding on C. lactis produced the highest number of eggs, juveniles and adults. The developmental periods of H. larvicolus feeding on C. lactis at life-cycle path I (larva to adult) and II (egg to adult) were 12.2 ± 0.3 and 15.6 ± 0.6 days (females) and 19.5 ± 0.2 and 20.9 ± 0.4 days (males), respectively. Longevity of females versus males of H. larvicolus was 120.6 ± 7.2 versus 91.6 ± 13.1 days (life cycle I) and 110.0 ± 27.7 versus 118.3 ± 10.9 days (life cycle II), respectively.