Allometry of brooding in the freshwater mite Parafissicepheus africanus Mazen, 1979 (Acari: Cryptostigmata).

ABSTRACT

The acarine species, Parafissicepheus africanus Mazen, 1979 is associated with the roots of the floating plant, Eichhornia crassipes. It is an asynchronous brooder. The maximum and minimum brooding percentages were recorded in July, 1996 and March, 1996, respectively. The brooding of

embryos was common in the middle-size classes of female populations. The optimal level of brood size was 3.7 at optimal length 507µm. The brood size was nearly proportional to the square length of adult female with an exponent ranging from 0.05 to 1.66.