Observations on feeding and oviposition in some British mosquitoes

Laboratory observations showed a significant positive correlation between the size of unfed females of Mansonia richiardii and Aedes cinereus and the quantity of blood ingested, but no correlation in Ae. detritus, Ae. punctor and Ae. cantans. There was also a positive correlation between the size of the blood-meal and number of eggs laid by Ae. cinereus and Ae. punctor, but not in Ae. detritus, Ae. cantans and M. richiardii. The number of eggs laid varied greatly between different species, Culex species laid most eggs. Most eggs of Ae. punctor hatched during the first three soakings, whereas in Ae. cinereus most hatched during the 8th–12th soakings. Egg hatching in Culiseta annulata, Culex, Mansonia and Anopheles species was sometimes spread over several days, in Cst. annulata up to 13 days. The duration of the gonotrophic cycle was investigated in several species. In Cst. annulata and Ae. detritus, which have long adult biting seasons, considerable variations occurred in its length at different times of the year.

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Zusammenfassung An einigen britischen Mücken wurden Laborbeobachtungen über Blutaufnahme und Eiablage durchgeführt. Die Größe der Blutmenge, die Mansonia richiardii, Aedes cinereus, Ae. detritus, Ae. punctor, Ae. cantans und Culiseta annulata Aufnahmen, wurden mit gravimetrischen Methoden ermittelt. Nur bei M. richiardii (P<0,001) und Ae. cinereus (0,001Ae. dorsalis, Ae. geniculatus, C. morsitans, C. litorea, Anopheles claviger, A. plumbeus, Culex pipiens und C. torrentium abgelegt wurden, wurden bestimmt. Die beiden letztgenannten Arten legten im Mittel 248 bzw. 244 Eier. Andere Arten Legten weniger Eier, die kleinsten mittleren Gelege (52) wurden von Ae. contans produziert. Bei Ae. punctor und Ae. cinereus wurden mehr Eier von den Individuen produziert, welche die größten Blutmahlzeiten eingenommen hatten (0,02Ae. punctor wurden 86% der Eier nach den ersten drei Blutmahlzeiten produziert, bei Ae. cinereus jedoch keine, die schlupffähig waren. 74% der Ae. cinereus-Eier schlüpften während der 8.–12. Blutaufnahme. Eier von C. annulata, M. richiardii, Culex- und Anopheles-Arten schlüpften während mehrerer Tage, bei C. annulata bis zu dreizehnDie Dauer der gonotrophen Zyklen unterlag bei Ae. detritus und C. annulata beträchtlichen monatlichen Schwankungen. Während Juni bis August betrug sie bei den meisten Arten 5 bis 7 Tage, bei M. richiardii im August jedoch im Mittel 9,8 Tage.

     

Observations on the feeding, growth rate and habits of newly settled Octopus cyanea

This paper records observations on the behaviour of Octopus cyuneu caught in Hawa shortly after settlement from the plankton. The young animals rapidly establish "homes" on the bottom and defend these against their own species. Of a variety of food offered, crabs were most frequently (nearly always) taken; the animals always took the prey home to eat it. Records of diurnal activity show morning and evening peaks as in adults. There was a steady 2–3.5% daily increase in weight over the first six months (July-January) after settlement     

A note on the feeding habits of some uncommon sea stars

Natural history, aspects of aquarium behavior, and the first dietary data of three widely distributed, but relatively uncommon, Northeastern Pacific sea stars, Poraniopsis inflata (Fisher, 1906), Lophaster furcilliger (Fisher, 1905), and Cera-master patagonicus (Sladen, 1889) are presented. Our observations and analysis indicated P. inflata individuals ate sponges, while L. furcilliger ate sponges and chopped fish, and C. patagonicus appears to be a substrate surface deposit feeder. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Observations on wolbachiae in mosquitoes

A slightly modified Giemsa smear procedure consistently demonstrated Wolbachia pipientis in Culex pipiens and the Wolbachia species of infected members of the Aedes scutellaris group. Aposymbiosis was induced in Aedes polynesiensis by treatment with 0.017 mg/ml tetracycline hydrochloride or by rearing larvae at temperatures of 32–33°C for 5–7 days. Aposymbiotic females were incompatible with infected males but the reciprocal cross was fertile. By light and electron microscopy wolbachiae were found in ovaries of Aedes albopictus, A. cooki, A. Niuafo'ou sp., A. polynesiensis from American Samoa and Tahiti, A. riversi, A. Tafahi sp., and A. upolensis. Wolbachiae were not detected in A. alcasidi, A. oceanicus, A. triseriatus, Culex peus, two laboratory colonies of C. pipiens, Culiseta incidens, Toxorhynchites amboinensis, or T. brevipalpis. Wolbachiae were found also in the ovarian follicular epithelium of A. albopictus. This is the first record of mosquito wolbachiae in nongerminal gonadal tissue.     

Population genetic consequences of feeding habits in some forest lepidoptera

By surveying variation at allozyme loci in several phytophagous lepidopteran species (Geometridae), we have tested two hypotheses about the relationship of genetic variation to environmental heterogeneity: (1) that allozyme polymorphisms may exist because of associations between genotypes and "niches" (different host plants, in this instance), and (2) that the overall genetic variation of a species is correlated with environmental heterogeneity (or breadth of the species' overall ecological niche).—Genetic differentiation among samples of oligophagous or polyphagous species taken from different host species was observed in one of three species, at only one of seven polymorphic loci. The data thus provide no evidence for pronounced genetic substructuring, or "host race" formation in these sexually reproducing species, although host plant-genotype associations in a parthenogenetic moth give evidence of the potential for diversifying selection.—In a comparison of allozyme variation in polyphagous ("generalized") and oligophagous ("specialized") species, heterozygosity appeared to be higher in specialized species, at all polymorphic loci but one. It is possible that this unexpected result arises from a functional relation between breadth of diet and genetic variation.     

Food habits of fishes in the surf zone of a sandy beach at Sanrimatsubara, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan

To clarify the feeding habits of fishes in surf zones, the gut contents of 19 fish species collected in the surf zone of a sandy beach at Sanrimatsubara, western Japan, were examined. Ontogenetic changes in food preference were recognized in seven species (Mugil cephalus cephalus, Lateolabrax latus, Sillago japonica, Paralichthys olivaceus, Paraplagusia japonica, Takifugu poecilonotus, and Takifugu niphobles). A cluster analysis based on dietary overlaps showed that the surf zone fish assemblage comprised six trophic groups (zooplankton, benthic and epiphytic crustacean, detritus, polychaete, fish, and insect feeders). Of these, the most abundant trophic group was zooplankton feeders, along with benthic and epiphytic crustacean feeders.     

Bathymetric distribution and feeding habits of two sympatric cheilodactylid fishes at Miyake-jima,Japan

Habitats including depth, diurnal activity patterns, and diets of the two cheilodactylid fishesCheilodactylus zonatus andC. zebra were studied at Igaya Bay, Miyake-jima, Japan. Both species occurred at nearly equal densities in identical habitats and depths. They preyed on benthonic organisms from early morning to shortly before sunset, when feeding activities decreased remarkably and intraspecific social behavior greatly increased. Gut analyses showed a high degree of dietary overlap, but proportions of food items in their diets differed slightly.C. zonatus was more of a food generalist thanC. zebra, showing a higher niche breadth value.C. zebra tends to feed on epifauna, especially gammaridean amphipods and decapods, whileC. zonatus takes both epifauna and infauna including polychaetes.     

Sialic acids in the salivary glands of some insects with different feeding habits

Summary Eight insects (some adult and some larval forms) are studied for the presence of sialic acids in the cells of the salivary glands. This was sought by staining with alcian blue and Azure A at different pH accompanied by acid hydrolysis, sialidase digestion and methylation-saponification.On the basis of susceptibility to acid hydrolysis and sialidase digestion, different sialic acids are discernable. Though there is apparently no correlation between the secretion of sialic acid and the feeding habits of these insects, there is an interesting correlation between these two in the case of nectar and pollen eating habit of Apis.Presented at the 56th Session of Indian Science Congress. 2–9 January, 1969, Bombay, India.     

阿尔泰蝠蛾(鳞翅目:蝙蝠蛾科)幼虫食性的观察

对阿尔泰山上的阿尔泰蝠蛾幼虫进行了为期6年的食性观察,发现阿尔泰蝠蛾幼虫在野外采食的植物是新疆芍药、块根芍药、白喉乌头、阿尔泰牡丹草、新疆藜芦、新疆猪牙花、阿尔泰羽衣草、柳兰、新疆白鲜和药用蒲公英,与蝠蛾属的其他昆虫不同。其中,大部分植物为新疆阿尔泰山上的特有植物和中药,甚至有些还有毒性。在人工饲养的情况下,阿尔泰蝠蛾喜食胡萝卜和南瓜。该观察结果将为以后阿尔泰蝠蛾幼虫的野外采集和人工饲养等研究提供一定的帮助。     

Observations on the food and feeding habits of the African electric catfish Malapterurus electricus (Gmelin)

The diet and feeding habits of the African electric catfish Malapterurus electricus in their natural habitat in Lake Kainji, and in the River Niger, downstream of Kainji dam, Nigeria, have been described and compared. The study showed the electric catfish is a voracious piscivore. It feeds on cichlids, clupeids, schilbeids and other available fish species. From the size distribution, numbers and composition of the small prey fish species examined in electric catfish stomachs, it was inferred that the powerful high-frequency electric organ discharge volleys serve as major predatory mechanism.     

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild boars (Sus scrofa leucomystax) and wild sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Gunma Prefecture, Japan

The ingestion of undercooked meat from wild animals can be a source of Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans and other animals. In this study, we determined the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in 175 wild boars (Sus scrofa leucomystax) and 107 wild sika deer (Cervus nippon) hunted in 2004–2007 in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, by using a commercial latex agglutination test (LAT). Antibodies (LAT, 1:64 or higher) to T. gondii were found in 6.3% of wild boars and 1.9% of sika deer. This is the first record of T. gondii infection in wild deer in Japan, and deer and wild boar meat should be cooked well before human consumption.     

Spatiotemporal occurrence and feeding habits of tonguefish,Cynoglossus lighti Norman, 1925, larvae in Ariake Bay,Japan

Spatiotemporal occurrence and feeding habits of tonguefish (Cynoglossus lighti Norman, 1925) larvae were investigated in an offshore area (>5 m in depth) of the inner part of Ariake Bay, Japan. All specimens were symmetric, free‐swimming larvae. Although their seasonal abundance and distribution in the study site varied from year to year, spawning started in June and the larval abundance was high in August and September with a wide distribution in the inner part of the bay. Both present and previous study results strongly suggest that larvae may settle primarily in the estuary and near‐shore areas of Ariake Bay after their wide distribution in the offshore area of the bay during the free‐swimming stage. Larvae showed a clear feeding rhythm in which they fed on prey mainly during the daytime. Larvae fed exclusively on copepods, and identified prey were mostly Paracalanidae (mainly Parvocalanus crassirostris), Microsetella norvegica, and Oithona davisae. Pre‐metamorphosis larvae fed primarily on Paracalanidae and O. davisae, whereas O. davisae formed a smaller proportion of the early‐metamorphosis diet. In early metamorphoses, larvae fed preferentially on Paracalanidae and M. norvegica.     

Observations on the biology of Octomyomermis muspratti, a nematode parasite of mosquitoes

The mosquito parasite Octomyomermis muspratti was able to infect mosquitoes in diluted sea water with conductivity readings of 4000 μmho/cm and in all dilutions of organically rich tree-hole water. In contrast, the infectivity of Romanomermis culicivorax, a more extensively studied species, was adversely affected in dilutions of sea water with conductivity of 1500 μmho/cm and no infections were observed at concentrations above 3000 μmho/cm. Also, R. culicivorax failed to infect hosts at any dilution of the tree-hole water. Diet was shown to have an effect on male-female sex ratios in developing O. muspratti, and this may be employed to enhance a better male-female ratio in laboratory cultures of this nematode. When cultures of O. muspratti were flooded every 3–4 months, they continued to produce infective-stage nematodes for up to 5 years. Also, cultures that were repeatedly flooded produced infective nematodes for more than 39 floodings.