Abstract
Reproduction in Varroa jacobsoni occurs only in cells of the capped honey bee brood. Female mites were sampled at different times after cell sealing and ovaries containing a vitellogenic oocyte of the first gonocycle were examined under an electron microscope. It was found that the cytoplasmic connection between the lyrate organ and the oocyte persists far into the vitellogenic growth phase. In addition, a large amount of yolk material is taken up from the haemolymph. All ultrastructural features characteristic of vitellogenesis, such as microvilli, coated pits, vesicles and growing yolk platelets, are present. If more than four Varroa females live in an overcrowded brood cell, they appear to be in stress conditions and their vitellogenic oocytes may become atretic. Alterations typical for oocyte degradation and oosorption were observed in such situations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alberti, G., 1974. Fortpflanzungsverhalten und Fortpflanzungsorgane der Schnabelmilben (Acarina: Bdellidae, Trombidiformes). Z. Morph. Ökol. Tiere, 78: 111–157.
Alberti, G. and Hänel, H. 1986. Fine structure of the genital system in the bee parasite, Varroa jacobsoni (Gamasida: Dermanyssina) with remarks on spermiogenesis, spermatozoa and capacitation. Exp. Appl. Acarol., 2: 63–104.
Alberti, G. and Zeck-Kapp, G. 1986. The nutrimentary egg development of the mite, Varroa jacobsoni (Acari, Archnida), an ectoparasite of honey bees. Acta Zool. (Stockh.), 67: 11–25.
Bier, K. 1969. Oogenesetypen bei Insekten und Vertebraten, ihre Bedeutung für die Embryogenese und Phylogenese. Zool. Anz. Suppl, 33: 7–29.
Böck, P. 1984. Der Semidünnschnitt. Bergmann Verlag, München, pp. 172.
Brinton, L. P. and Oliver, J. H. Jr 1971. Fine structure of oogonial and oocyte development in Dermacentor andersoni Stiles (Acari: Ixodidae). J. Parasitol., 57: 720–747.
Bünning, J. 1994. The Insect Ovary. Ultrastructure, Previtellogenic Growth and Evolution. Chapman & Hall, New York, London, pp. 400.
Coons, L.B., Rosell-Davis, R. and Tarnowsky, B.I. 1986. Bloodmeal digestion in ticks. In Morphology, physiology, and behavioral biology of ticks, J.R. Sauer and J.A. Hair, (eds), pp. 248–279. Ellis Horwood Limited, Chichester.
Diehl, P. A. 1970. Zur Oogenese bei Ornithodorus moubata Murray (Ixodidae: Argasidae) unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Vitellogenese. Acta Trop., 4: 301–355.
Diehl, P. A., Aeschlimann, A. and Obenchain, F. D. 1982. Tick reproduction: oogenesis and oviposition. In Physiology of ticks, F. D. Obenchain and R. Galun (eds), pp. 277–350. Pergamon Press, New York.
Donzé G. 1995. Behavioral attributes of the parasite mite Varroa jacobsoni Oud., during its reproductive phase in the brood of the honeybee Apis mellifera. PhD thesis, University of Neuchâtel.
Heinemann, R. L. and Hughes, R. D. 1970. Reproduction, reproductive organs, and meiosis in the bisexual non-parthenogenic mite Caloglyphus mycophagus, with reference to oocyte degeneration in virgins (Sarcoptiformes: Acaridae). J. Morphol., 130: 93–102.
Ifantidis, M. D. and Rosenkranz, P. 1988. Reproduktion der Bienenmilbe Varroa jacobsoni (Acari: Varroidae). Entomol. General., 14: 111–122.
Matheson, A. 1994. Developing new perspectives on Varroa. In New perspectives on Varroa, A. Matheson (ed.), pp. 1–2, International Bee Research Association, Cardiff.
Michelette, E. R. F. 1992. Padrão protéico de hemolinfa de abelhas africanizadas e Apis mellifera carnica durante o desenvolvimento pré-imaginal, e a utilizaçäo de algumas destas proteínas na reproduçäo do ácaro Varroa jacobsoni. Tese de Doutorado, Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeiräo Preto, Universidade de Säo Paulo.
Mothes-Wagner, U. and Seitz, K-A. 1984. Ultrahistology of oogenesis and vitellogenesis in the spider mite Tetranychus urticae. Tissue Cell, 16: 179–194.
Spurr, A. R. 1969. A low-viscosity epoxy resin embedding medium for electron microscopy. J. Ultrastruct. Res., 26: 31–43.
Steiner, J. 1992. Reproduktion der ektoparasitischen Bienenmilbe Varroa jacobsoni in Völkern von apis mellifera carnica. Dissertation Fakultät für Biologie, University of Tübingen.
Steiner, J., Dittmann, F., Rosenkranz, P. and Engels, W. 1994. Interrelation during the first gonocycle between reproduction of the parasitic mite (Varroa jacobsoni) and preimaginal development of its host, the honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica). Invertebr. Reprod. Dev., 25: 175–183.
Tewarson, N. C. 1982. Immunocytochemical localization of (Apis mellifera) proteins in
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Steiner, J., Diehl, P.A. & Vlimant, M. Vitellogenesis in Varroa jacobsoni, a parasite of honey bees. Exp Appl Acarol 19, 411–422 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00145158
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00145158