A Scanning Electron Microscope Study on the Internal Structure of the Peritreme of the Female Mite Varroa jacobsoni (Oudemans, 1904)

The peritreme of the adult female mite Varroa jacobsoni is located laterally above coxa III and is enclosed within a peritrematal shield which has a slit at the end. The peritrematal shield is cuticular in nature. The peritreme is lined with a thick inner membrane which has numerous tooth-like projections. The outer membrane of the peritreme is thin and smooth. In between these two membranes is a layer of columnar cells. The internal structure of the peritreme in relation to the female mite's ability to adjust to different atmospheric conditions is discussed.