Fig. 3. Hypothesized mode of genetic inheritance in Varroa male and female mites.

Females are produced via diploid sexual reproduction, while males are produced via diploid arrhenotoky. The left schematic shows diploid arrhenotoky, in which an unfertilized egg develops into a diploid son. The right schematic shows diploid sexual reproduction, in which fertilized eggs develop into diploid daughters. Orange chromosomes and segments denote maternal alleles, and blue chromosomes and segments denote paternal alleles. Female mites are indicated by the ♀ symbol and male mites by the ♂ symbol.