Life as a fortress – structure, function, and adaptive values of morphological and chemical defense in the oribatid mite Euphthiracarus reticulatus (Actinotrichida)

Life as a fortress – structure, function, and adaptive values of morphological and chemical defense in the oribatid mite Euphthiracarus reticulatus (Actinotrichida)

Abstract Background Oribatid mites are among the primordial decomposer faunal elements and potential prey organisms in soil. Among their myriad morphological defenses are strong sclerotization and mineralization, cuticular tecta, and the “ptychoid” body-form, which allows to attain an encapsulated,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Michael Heethoff, Adrian Brückner, Sebastian Schmelzle, Mario Schubert, Maria Bräuer, Reinhard Meusinger, Stefan Dötterl, Roy A. Norton, Günther Raspotnig
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2018-08-01
Series:BMC Zoology
Subjects:
Oribatida
Defense
Enemy-free space
Ptychoidy
SRμCT
Chemical ecology
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40850-018-0031-8

Internet

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40850-018-0031-8

Similar Items