43 



continuous layer of material is coating the spermatophore surface. 

 There is a definite affinity of the mucilage to its surface. This ad- 

 hesion of the slime to the surface of the spermatophore aids in seal- 

 ing it to the surface, making it inaccessible to the female popula- 

 tion. p_. dormani mucil age was not found adhering to the surface of 

 citrus rust mites. An immature citrus rust mite was found free of 

 mucilage (Figure 15). 



The effect of the snail trails on the citrus rust mite egg was 

 observed. No visible damage or adhesion was detected (Figures 16 

 and 17). Apparently the mucilage did not adhere to the egg surface. 

 Even more surprising is the fact that the weight of the snail did not 

 seem to damage the eggs, as many of those observed showed no signs of 

 dehydration or compression. 



Areas of snail grazing . The surface of the fruit where grazing 

 occurred was found covered with mucilage. This was, as expected, be- 

 cause of the necessity of the slime for adhesion of the foot to the 

 surface (Figures 18 and 19). 



If the snail was a selective feeder and removed mycelia only, 

 nonmycelial objects would be expected to be found on the surface fol- 

 lowing feeding. On the other hand, if the snail was an indiscriminant 

 feeder engulfing everything in its search for fungi, the surface should 

 be clean except for mucilage. As is evident in Figure 18, the surface 

 was totally void of all matter with exception to the deposited mucilage, 



Areas where citrus rust mites and their eggs, immature whitefly, 

 spermatophore, as well as other mites and foreign surface material 

 were previously found, now completely were devoid of any microbiota. 

 This would suggest the ingestion of these items. An examination of the 



