Kin recognition in three samples of Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Kin recognition as an important phenomenon which influences species fitness is mediated by mechanisms such as association or familiarity. Here, we have investigated either prior association or relatedness would affect the predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis prey choice for cannibalism. Three samples of the predator including UT (University of Tehran), iso-females provided from UT and Turkey population with different degrees of relatedness, were introduced to the prospective cannibal which was selected from the iso-female line. The experimental procedure was consisted of imprinting (on each of the three sample larvae) and choice (between either familiar related and unfamiliar unrelated or familiar unrelated and unfamiliar related larvae) tests. The oviposition tests were designed by introducing each of the samples as the second female to a patch contained eggs related to iso-females as the first female. We found that the cannibal protonymphs preferred unfamiliar larvae for eating regardless of kinship. The number of prey eggs was significantly dependant to the type of relation between the eggs from first and second female. The effect of relatedness on the distances between eggs is discussed.