Abstract
FOR more than forty years Acarus siro L., 1758, a pest of harvested cereals and cereal products, has been considered a very variable species consisting of several forms. Zachvatkin1 concluded that these forms had no taxonomic significance since intermediate forms existed. Variation has been attributed both to the adult stage and to the hypopus stage (deutonymph), which sometimes occurs in the life-cycle, generally in response to certain unfavourable conditions. Schulze2 described a motile migratory hypopus, capable of rapid movement but becoming passive once it has attached itself to another arthropod, and an inert form incapable of movement or attachment but resistant to desiccation. She ascribed both forms to A. siro, stating that both could be obtained from single pair matings.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Zachvatkin, A. A., Inst. Zool. Acad. Sci. Moscow, N.S., No. 28 (1941).
Schulze, H., Centralbl. für Bakt. Abt. II, 60, 536 (1924).
Oudemans, A. C., Entomol. Ber., 2, No. 26, 20 (1905).
Grandjean, F., Bull. Soc. Zool., 64, 50 (1939).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
GRIFFITHS, D. Flour Mite, Acarus siro L., 1758, a Species Complex. Nature 196, 908 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/196908a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/196908a0
This article is cited by
-
Effect of dietary antagonists and corresponding nutrients on growth and reproduction of the flour mite (Acarus siro L.)
Experientia (1992)
-
Genetic variability and ecological adaptability of hypopus formation in a stored product mite
Experimental & Applied Acarology (1987)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.