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Sperm competition in the Acari

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Ecology and Evolution of the Acari

Part of the book series: Series Entomologica ((SENT,volume 55))

Abstract

Literature on sperm competition in the Acari is reviewed and supplemented with the author’s unpub-lished observations. As in other animals, morphology and physiology of the female reproductive tract are key factors establishing the sperm competition pattern. First-male sperm priority was found in Gamasida and Actinedida, whereas in Acaridida the last males to mate had the highest reproductive success. However, this general pattern may be modified by behavioural factors, and another aspect needs scrutiny: in many groups of mites sperm cells follow routes other than the lumen of the reproductive tract to meet and fertilise the oocyte. The Acari are a very promising group for future research because of the wide range of sperm competition patterns, accompanied by a high diversity in reproductive morphology, physiology and mating.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, 30-060, Kraków, Poland

    Wojciech Witaliński

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  1. Wojciech Witaliński
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Section Population Biology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jan Bruin , L. P. S. van der Geest  & M. W. Sabelis ,  & 

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Witaliński, W. (1999). Sperm competition in the Acari. In: Bruin, J., van der Geest, L.P.S., Sabelis, M.W. (eds) Ecology and Evolution of the Acari. Series Entomologica, vol 55. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1343-6_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1343-6_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-5200-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-1343-6

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