Surviving long submergence in the egg stage?a successful strategy of terrestrial arthropods living on flood plains (Collembola, Acari, Diptera)

Abstract

Sampling experiments show that some terrestrial arthropod species which predominate on the flood plains of Eder Reservoir (Germany) survive long-term inundations in the egg stage under water, hatching immediately after the floods: the Collembola Isotoma viridis, Anurida tullbergi, Sminthurides malmgreni, Sminthurinus aureus, and Sminthurus nigromaculatus; the land mites Cheylostigmaeus pannonicus and Zerconopsis müstairi; and the ephydrid fly Scatella stagnalis. Some other dominant species seem to have the same survival strategy, because they show the same characteristic pattern of appearance in the study area (bdellid and oribatid mites, ephydrid and sphaerocerid flies).