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Competitive Exclusion, Harem Behaviour and Host Specificity of the Water Mite Unionicola ypsilophora (Hydrachnellae, Acari) Inhabiting Anodonta cygnea (Unionidae)
Author(s) -
Davids Cornelis,
Holtslag Johanna,
Dimock Ronald V.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
internationale revue der gesamten hydrobiologie und hydrographie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 0020-9309
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.19880730606
Subject(s) - biology , acari , harem , unionidae , zoology , ecology , host (biology) , mollusca , bivalvia
The co‐occurring freshwater mussels Anodonta cygnea and A. anatina serve as hosts for the water mites Unionicola ypsilophora and U. intermedia , respectively. Male U. ypsilophora display a territorial behaviour. They fight with other males, and as a result, there is usually only one male per host. As a consequence, this intrasexual aggression results in female‐defence polygyny, or a harem mating system. In contrast, U. intermedia shows no antagonistic behaviour between males. A. cygnea can serve as a host for U. intermedia , but this mite species apparently is excluded from the mussel by U. ypsilophora. In this way, U. intermedia is restricted by competitive exclusion to the mussel A. anatina .