Activity rhythms in littoral Acari under laboratory conditions
In: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. Elsevier: New York. ISSN 0022-0981; e-ISSN 1879-1697, more
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| Keywords |
Acari [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Author keywords |
activity; littoral; rhythm |
| Abstract |
Under experimental conditions, endogenous activity rhythms were found among several species of the terrestrial moiety of the littoral Acari. These rhythms correlated with both circatidal (semidiurnal) and photoperiod/temperature (diurnal) cycles. In non-littoral species, only diurnal cycles were observed. Under similar experimental conditions, members of the aquatic moiety, i.e. the family Halacaridae, showed no activity cycles, and it is thought that in these mites activity may be exogenous. It is suggested that the possession of endogenous activity cycles among the terrestrial moiety is an adaptation to prevent inundation and dislodgement by wave action, and that the aquatic moiety, which are permanently immersed, require no such adaptation, and rely upon exogenously triggered activity patterns. |
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