Searching behaviour of Encarsia formosa as mediated by colour and honeydew

The habitat- and host-searching behaviour of female Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) was assessed using an airflow olfactometer and a filter paper test. Responses to different odour cues, colours, host-produced honeydew, non-host honeydew and single carbohydrates were determined. The parasitoid was not attracted to or arrested by odours emanating from clean tobacco leaves, tobacco leaves heavily infested with the host Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) and covered with honeydew, or honeydew alone. However, E. formosa females showed a significant response to green light transmitted through a tobacco leaf. The yellow part of the spectrum was partly responsible for this response. Thus, the long-range orientation is random with respect to the presence of hosts. Filter paper tests showed that the short-range searching behaviour is influenced by water soluble, non-volatile contact-kairomones contained in the host-produced honeydew. Contact with honeydew excreted by L3/L4 T. vaporariorum resulted in longer searching times than honeydew from adult T. vaporariorum or L3/L4 Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). No difference was found between the response to honeydew excreted by adult and L3/L4 B. tabaci. The parasitoids' response to honeydew was unaffected by the host plant on which the whiteflies had fed. Non-host honeydew and single carbohydrates also affected the searching behaviour of E. formosa but to a lower extent than host honeydew. The possible differences in the carbohydrate and amino acid composition of the honeydew excreted by different life-stages of T. vaporariorum and B. tabaci are discussed.     

Translocation of paclobutrazol and gibberellic acid in Sturt's Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa)

The translocation patterns of paclobutrazol and gibberellic acid were studied by applying these plant growth regulators locally to the main or lateral shoots of Sturt's Desert Pea. Paclobutrazol only reduced the growth of shoots to which it was directly applied indicating that it was readily translocated acropetally within a shoot (via xylem) but not basipetally (via phloem), although some phloem translocation has been reported. Gibberellic acid elongated the main shoot and enhanced apical dominance irrespective of the place of application suggesting it is readily translocated both through xylem and phloem. The translocation patterns did not vary between the main or lateral shoots.     

Effect of imidacloprid on the sivlerleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perrring (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae), and whitefly parasitism

Bioassays were conducted under greenhouse conditions to determine the effect of imidacloprid on adult and nymphal stages of the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring, and parasitism by Encarsia formosa (Gahan). A flowable formulation (24Oglitre^-1) of imidacloprid at six rates (0.09, 0.04 and 0.02 g a.i. litre^-1 pot volume for experiments 1 and 2; 0.009, 0.004, and 0.002 g a.i. litre^-1 pot volume for experiment 3) was evaluated. After a 48 h exposure to treated plants, high mortality of adult whitefly (>94%) was observed. Adults exposed to poinsettias treated 150 days earlier also had significantly greater mortality (>79%) than the adults on control plants. When exposed to treated plants for only 6 h, >65% of adults were killed. All three rates of imidacloprid caused >97% mortality of immature whiteflies by day 19. When treated plants were continually exposed to adult whiteflies, immature mortality was 100% for the three higher rates of imidacloprid up to and including 88 days after treatment. During the same time, emerging adults were reduced significantly. Immatures reinfested on plants treated 161 days earlier, incurred 80% mortality at the higher rate 0.09 g a.i. litre^-1 pot volume and 38% mortality at 0.02 g a.i. litre^-1 pot volume. At lower treatment rates, results varied. At 0.009 g a.i. litre^-1 of pot volume, mean percentage whitefly mortality (65%) 25 days after treatment was significantly higher than the controls; however, whitefly mortality at 0.004 and 0.002 g a.i. litre^-1 pot volume was not significantly different from controls or plants treated with the higher rate. Parasitoids could develop to the adult stage on whiteflies infesting imidacloprid treated plants. Parasitism occurred at low levels (< 10%), doe to high levels of whitefly mortality on treated plants. No phytotoxicity was observed for any treatment throughout the length of the trials that lasted through flowering.     

Male Sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna) copy the mate choice of other males

Female mate-copying has been shown to occur between heterospecifics:female sailfin mollies Poecilia latipinna copy the choice oftheir gynogenetic associates, Amazon mollies P. formosa. Femalemate-copying thus contributes to the maintenance of this asexual-sexualspecies complex by providing an advantage to male sailfin molliesthat mate with Amazon females; because of mate-copying thesemales increase their attractiveness to conspecific females.Here we show that male mate-copying, an unreported phenomenon,also occurs and that it can reverse male preferences for conspecificfemales. Male mate-copying should also contribute to the maintenanceof gynogens and might be advantageous in allowing males a meansto rapidly assess female receptivity although sometimes resultingin heterospedfic matings.     

Turbidity affects association behaviour in male Poecilia latipinna

Male association preferences in a bisexual‐unisexual species complex were studied in clear and turbid environments. In south and central Texas, where the gynogenetic sexual‐parasite Poecilia formosa lives syntopically with Poecilia latipinna as its sexual host species, association times of P. latipinna males with conspecific sexual and heterospecific asexual females in clear and turbid water were measured sequentially. Turbidity had an influence on male mate association behaviour. Males spent less time with any kind of female stimulus in turbid water. There was no preference for conspecific sexual females, either in turbid water or under clear conditions. Also, origin of males and acclimatization to turbid water had no effect. How turbidity as a source of visual noise might affect communication among individuals and how this environmental factor might contribute to the stability of this sexual‐asexual mating complex in nature are discussed.     

Prevalence of chytrid parasitism among diatom populations in the lower Columbia River (2009–2013)

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New microsatellite loci confirm hybrid origin,parthenogenetic inheritance,and mitotic gene conversion in the gynogenetic Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa)

We describe the first microsatellite loci for the gynogenetic Amazon molly, Poecilia formosa, an all‐female species arisen through hybridization of the bisexual species Poecilia mexicana and Poecilia latipinna. The loci showed one to six alleles and an expected heterozygosity between zero and 0.75. As expected with parthenogenetic inheritance, most loci were either constantly homozygous (five loci) or constantly heterozygous (eight loci). For six loci, both heterozygotes and homozygotes occurred. This and the fact that some loci only showed alleles of one of the ancestral species could indicate genome homogenization through mitotic gene conversion. Our new loci conformed to the hybrid origin of Amazon molly and are also applicable to both ancestral bisexual species.     

取食转Bt基因棉花上的棉蚜对丽草蛉发育和繁殖的影响

为明确转Bt基因抗虫棉对捕食性天敌的生态效应 ,比较了 2种转Bt基因抗虫棉 (GK-1 2和新棉99B)和 1种常规棉上的棉蚜Chrysopaformosa对丽草蛉Aphisgossypii发育和繁殖的影响。结果表明 ,(1 )与取食常规棉泗棉 3号上棉蚜的对照相比 ,取食转Bt基因抗虫棉GK- 1 2上棉蚜的第 1代和第 2代丽草蛉 ,其幼虫期和茧期的死亡率、幼虫和茧的发育历期、茧重及成虫性比等均与对照无显著差异 ;但第 1代成虫的产卵量减少了 2 88 0粒 ,与对照差异显著 (P <0 . 0 1 ) ;第 2代成虫所产卵的孵化率为 64. 0 % ,显著低于对照的 77. 7% (P <0 0 1 )。 (2 ) 2个品种的Bt棉对丽草蛉发育和繁殖的影响也略有差异。与取食GK 1 2上棉蚜的个体相比 ,取食新棉 99B上蚜虫的第 1代丽草蛉 ,其幼虫发育历期缩短了 0 . 6d(P <0 0 1 ) ,茧期缩短了 0 . 7d(P <0 . 0 1 ) ,茧重降低了 1 . 2mg(P <0 .0 1 ) ,幼虫期和茧期的死亡率、茧重以及成虫性比等则无显著差异 ;雌成虫产卵前期、产卵期、产卵量和寿命等繁殖学特性也无显著差异 ,但其成虫所产卵的孵化率为 65. 0 % ,显著低于取食GK- 1 2上棉蚜的处理 (72 . 7% ,P <0. 0 1 )。分别取食 2种Bt棉上的棉蚜 ,对第 2代丽草蛉的发育和繁殖的影响差异则较小。     

The impact of social context on male mate preference in a unisexual--bisexual mating complex

Male sailfin mollies Poecilia latipinna were tested in five different treatments that varied in the relative frequency of heterospecific gynogens (Amazon molly Poecilia formosa) to conspecific females to determine whether social interactions among males within a population causes some males to mate with heterospecific females. Male P. latipinna inseminated a significantly higher proportion of conspecific females and fertilized a significantly higher number of conspecific eggs regardless of the treatment. Nonetheless, preference for conspecific females was not exclusive as a range of 20 to 50% of heterospecific females were fertilized. Social interactions among males may best explain the results and may therefore play an important role in the maintenance of unisexual--bisexual mating complexes.     

TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENT CHANGES IN COLONY SIZE OF THE FRESHWATER PENNATE DIATOM ASTERIONELLA FORMOSA (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) AND THEIR POSSIBLE ECOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS1

Changes in colony size (cell number per colony) of Asterionella Formosa Hass. were experimentally evaluated in relation to water temperature using two types of clones having colony sizes of four or eight cells. The clones were isolated from two different temperate freshwater lakes. Both clones showed the same general trend with changing temperature. Most of the colonies were normal in size at low temperatures, but colony size was twice as large at high temperatures. Variable colony sizes were present at low percentages. Colony separation occurred at the oldest connection within the colony after cell division. Culture experiments showed that the rates of specific growth and colony separation were balanced except for a rather short period of time when the temperature was changed. Optical and scanning electron micrography did not show any distinctive morphological structure at the point of connection except for porelli and mucilage pads. Seasonal changes in colony size of A. formosa observed in a freshwater lake are discussed based on these temperature results.