Distribution of asymmetrical and symmetrical sperm storage in the Eriophyoidea and its phylogenetic implications

Abstract

The mode of sperm storage was determined for females of 18 species of Eriophyoidea, including three Phytoptidae, 14 Eriophyidae, and one Diptilomiopidae. Two of the Phytoptidae, both from dicot hosts, represent the first examined species of Phytoptinae and Sierraphytoptinae. All three phytoptids stored sperm symmetrically, the same as other phytoptids from gymnosperm and monocot hosts (a Nalepellinae and a Novophytoptinae, respectively) reported earlier. Only symmetrical storage is presently known for this family. The fourteen Eriophyidae studied here represent eight genera, four of which had not been examined previously, and include several species of Aceria from different monocot families that stored sperm symmetrically. All of the other Aceria and representatives of other genera from dicot hosts stored sperm asymmetrically, the same as dicot-infesting Eriophyidae reported earlier. The diptilomiopid species stored sperm asymmetrically, the same as two other diptilomiopids reported earlier. The mode of sperm storage is now known for 40 species of Eriophyoidea. Symmetrical storage is common to all examined members of the morphologically primitive family Phytoptidae and to all Aceria from monocot hosts. Asymmetrical storage is common to all other examined members of the more derived families Eriophyidae and Diptilomiopidae.