Mites are very small animals, characterized by wingless and eyeless bodies, in which sociality has been discovered. This book offers detailed descriptions of the diverse social systems and the social evolution of mites, ranging from genetic to ecological aspects. Through a broad spectrum of studies including traditional natural history, taxonomy, modern evolutionary and behavioral ecology, and theoretical models as well, the book addresses a number of important findings on plant mite evolution and species radiation, with the author succeeding in combining theoretical and practical approaches in behavioral ecology by proposing a new game theory. These findings reflect the complex evolutionary history of these taxa and also help to point out clearly what is known and what is not yet known to date. Mites have been considered a minor animal group, but the author shows that mites actually possess great diversity and therefore make unique materials for evolutionary and behavioral studies.
1 What Are Mites?1.1 Brief Systematic Overview of Acari1.2 Peculiarities of Mites for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies2 Plant Mites2.1 Spider Mites and Plants2.2 Life History and Host Plants2.3 Life Type Diversity in Spider MitesWhat Is a Life Type?Supposed Function of LW and CW Life Types2.4 Diversity of Physiological Adaptation in Spider MitesVariation in Overwintering StageDiapause2.5 Diversity of Plant Mites Other Than Spider MitesPhytoseiidsPredators Other Than Phytoseiids3 Diverse Microcosmos on Sasa3.1 Diversity in Sasa-Inhabiting Mites3.2 Is the Flattened Body an Antipredator Strategy?3.3 Do Oviposition and Undergoing Quiescence on Tips of LeafHairs Constitute Antipredatory Behaviors?3.4 Do Compartment-Type Nests Have Antipredator Functions?3.5 Woven Nests of StigmaeopsisWhat Is Stigmaeopsis?Is Nest Size Variation a Refl ection of Antipredator Strategy?Advantages of Small NestsAdditional Advantages of Small NestsWhy Are There Large Nest Builders?Disruptive Selection on Nest Size?A Further Question3.6 Explanation of Diversity in Life Type and Life History Variation on Sasa3.7 Other Variation in Spider Mites on Sasa4 Mite Sociality4.1 Diversity in Genetic System4.2 Sexual Behavior4.3 Sex Ratio4.4 Sociality in Stigmaeopsis4.5 Sociality in Spider Mites4.6 Overview of Mite Sociality4.7 Background of Social Evolution in Mites5 Inbreeding Depression in Haplo-diploidy6 Kin Selection6.1 Variation in Male Aggressiveness Between Species6.2 Variation in Male Aggressiveness Within a Species6.3 Egoism and Cooperation6.4 Two Groups Showing Different Levels of Male AggressivenessWhy Are There Two Groups Showing Different Clinal Trends?6.5 Sexual Selection6.6 Theoretical Explanation of Male Aggression and CooperationAbsolute Conditions for CooperationMixed Strategy of Aggression and CooperationFitting Practical Data to the ModelThought Exercise7 Is Basic Science the Father of Applied Science?7.1 What Has Happened in Chinese Bamboo Forests?Plausible Factors for Pest OutbreaksApproaching a Factor7.2 Simulation of One-Predator?Two-Prey Systems7.3 Epilogue: Japanese Sato-yama8 Further Research for Mite Behavioral and Evolutionary EcologyAfterwordAppendicesAppendix 1. Brief History of Reinstatement of StigmaeopsisAppendix 2. Model of Repeated Blind SamplingAppendix 3. Calculation of Practical Parameters in Game ModelReferencesIndex
