Sexual Selection and Reproductive Strategies in Mites: Diversity, Plasticity, and Evolutionary Consequences

Mites (Acari) represent one of the most species-rich and behaviorally diverse lineages within the arachnids, offering exceptional model systems for studying the mechanisms and consequences of sexual selection. From the alternative reproductive tactics of sneaker males in spider mites to complex mate-guarding, sperm competition, and cooperative behaviors in social mite species, this group displays a remarkable range of reproductive strategies shaped by ecological context, kinship, and life-history trade-offs. Despite their small size, mites have become powerful models for testing fundamental evolutionary theory on mating systems, sexual conflict, and reproductive plasticity.The goal of this Research Topic is to explore the mechanisms and evolutionary consequences of sexual selection across the diversity of mites. We aim to bridge behavioral observation with evolutionary theory by examining how ecological pressures — including predation risk, operational sex ratio, kin structure, and resource availability — shape the plasticity of mating strategies. A central theme of this collection is the investigation of alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs), such as sneaker males and fighter morphs, and how these tactics are expressed, maintained, and modulated across generations. We also welcome research on sperm competition, mate-guarding, paternal investment, sexual conflict, and the role of these processes in reproductive isolation and speciation.By bringing together diverse perspectives on mite reproductive biology, this Topic aims to move beyond descriptive accounts toward a functional and mechanistic understanding of how sexual selection generates behavioral and phenotypic diversity in this understudied but highly tractable group.We invite contributions that explore the multifaceted nature of mite-mating systems. This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, and mini-reviews covering, but not limited to, the following themes:• Alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) and their ecological and genetic regulation• Sperm competition, sperm depletion, and male mating effort• Mate choice, mate-guarding, and kin-mediated reproductive decisions• Paternal care and its costs and benefits• Cooperative and social behaviors linked to reproduction in group-living mites• Sexual conflict and its role in shaping behavioral and morphological traits• Reproductive isolation, speciation, and the evolutionary consequences of mating system divergenceWe welcome contributions from behavioral ecologists, acarologists, and evolutionary biologists working across the full diversity of mite taxa. Topic editors: Yukie Sato, Peter Schausberger Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85053/sexual-selection-and-reproductive-strategies-in-mites-diversity-plasticity-and-evolutionary-consequences