Thermal performance curves and age-stage, two-sex life table of Dermatophagoides farinae (Acari: Pyroglyphidae): baseline data for climate change impact assessment.

INTRODUCTION: House dust mites (HDMs) are major indoor allergens worldwide, with Dermatophagoides farinae being one of the most prevalent species. Temperature is a key driver of mite development, but the thermal biology of HDMs remains poorly characterized. Despite the medical importance of house dust mites, comprehensive thermal performance data across ecologically relevant temperature ranges remain limited, particularly for upper thermal thresholds that will become increasingly relevant under climate warming. METHODS: We evaluated the development, survival, and fecundity of D. farinae under five constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C) at 75 ± 5% relative humidity using the age-stage, two-sex life table framework. RESULTS: Developmental duration decreased significantly from 15 to 30°C but increased at 35°C due to thermal inhibition. The shortest pre-adult development time was 19.14 days at 30°C, while the longest was 68.98 days at 15°C. Egg-to-adult survival was highest at 25°C (88.6%) and lowest at 35°C (35.7%). The net reproductive rate (R0) peaked at 25°C (33.96 offspring per female), whereas the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was highest at 30°C (0.0598 day-1), reflecting the differential contributions of fecundity versus developmental speed to population performance. D. farinae exhibits optimal development at 25-30°C, with severe thermal stress above 35°C. DISCUSSION: These baseline thermal performance data provide essential parameters for population models aimed at assessing climate change impacts. Our results suggest that climate warming may initially increase HDM populations in temperate regions but could restrict their distribution in areas where thermal thresholds are exceeded. These findings provide baseline data for assessing allergen exposure risks under future climate scenarios.