Sammendrag
Attachment site patterns for parasitic larvae of spring-dwelling water mites
on nematocerans were recorded and evaluated. Emphasis is placed on mite larvae
which parasitize chironomid hosts. Species-specific attachment sites on the hosts and
site preferences in both thoracically and abdominally attached mite larvae were registered.
A comparison between the attachment sites of single larvae and of two or more
conspecific larvae parasitizing a single host revealed only small differences in attachment
patterns, suggesting that site selection was the result of an innate preference
rather than induced by competition. Balanced attachment was more frequent than
asymmetrical attachment and dorsal/ventral attachment was found to be host-speciesspecific.
Host partitioning was evident for those parasite-host associations in which
one species parasitizes the host’s thorax and another parasitizes the host’s abdomen.
Despite preferences for different attachment sites by the mite larvae, host partitioning
was only rarely realized. This is because multiple parasitism was rare in the parasitehost
relationships studied. We conclude that host partitioning caused by differences in
attachment site preferences is likely for chironomid hosts but should be proven in a
habitat with higher mite diversity, where competition would play a more important
role.
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