Patterns of reproductive isolation in a haplodiploid mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis: prezygotic isolation, hybrid inviability and hybrid sterility.

The prevalent view on the evolution of reproductive barriers is supported in the haplodiploid spider mite we studied here. According to the estimated minimum genetic distance for total reproductive isolation in parent population crosses in this study and previous work, a genetic distance of 0.15-0.21 in mtDNA (COI) appears required for speciation in spider mites. Variations and asymmetries in the degree of reproductive isolation highlight the importance of reinforcement of prezygotic reproductive isolation through incompatibility and the importance of cytonuclear interactions for reproductive isolation in haplodiploid spider mites.