The goblet cavity matrix in the larval midgut of Hyalophora cecropia

The larval midgut of the silkmoth Hyalophora cecropia was examined using scanning electron microscopy. Goblet cells were observed to contain within their cavities a matrix plug. This matrix material was extruded onto the lumen side of the epithelium when the tissue was stretched. The rôle of this matrix material in maintenance of the capacity of the midgut to transport ions in vivo and in vitro is discussed.     

Early development of the digestive tract of cod larvae, Gadus morhua L., during start-feeding and starvation

Cod larvae, Gadus morhua L., were reared in the laboratory and released to a large marine enclosure 4 to 5 days after hatching (6–8° C). The development of the digestive system was studied until day 24 after hatching. Morphological investigations of the jaw apparatus and the digestive tract showed that the larvae are able to absorb ingested food well before exhaustion of the yolk sac. The foregut, and especially the midgut, were particularly active in lipid absorption, and the hindgut was characterized by pinocytotic activity. Duhng the first days of feeding, no distinct prey organisms were observed in the gut, and signs of food absorption in the epithelial cells of the gut were sparse.A distinct red fluorescence, restricted to the hindgut, was observed from day 11 to day 19. On the basis of changes in absorptive pattern in the gut we suggest that changes in digestive and absorptive abilities, as well as in nutritional needs, take place around days 15–17 after hatching.
In starved larvae, signs of degeneration of the gut tissue were first visible in the foregut. By day 9 after hatching, microvilli was degenerated to such an extent that the ability to absorb food must have been severely restricted. If larvae are starved longer than this, they will probably not survive.     

The influence of phenolic compounds on the suitability of three Salix species as hosts for the willow beetle Phratora vulgatissima

The phenolic glycosides salicin and salicortin were found to influence larval growth and development rates and adult feeding preference of Phratora vulgatissima in laboratory feeding studies. Salicortin was more toxic to larvae than salicin, and none of the third instar larvae fed on Salix viminalis leaves amended with 1.52% (fresh mass) salicortin pupated. Condensed tannins (proanthocyanadins) did not affect larval performance. It was concluded that Salix burjatica resistance to willow beetle is due to the high levels of salicortin which occur in leaves of this species.     

Decision to superparasitize based on larval survival: competition between aphid parasitoids Aphidius ervi and Aphidius smithi

Oviposition by a parasitoid wasp in an already parasitized host (= superparasitism) may result in larval competition and the loss of offspring. Consequently, in solitary species, the decision to superparasitize should be based on the probability of offspring survival. Females of Aphidius ervi Haliday and A. smithi Sharma & Subba Rao (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae), two parasitoids of the pea aphid, discriminated between conspecific-and heterospecific-parasitized hosts. Both species showed partial preference for aphids previously attacked by A. smithi, a result predicted from the fact that A. ervi is superior to A. smithi in larval competition under most conditions. Females of A. smithi selectively attacked conspecific-parasitized pea aphids when given a choice between these and self-parasitized hosts. Results indicated that females of both species responded to an external pheromone-like marker to discriminate between selfconspecific-and heterospecific-parasitized aphids. In addition, A. smithi may use internal cues to recognize, and avoid oviposition in, aphids previously parasitized by A. ervi.

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Résumé L'oviposition par une guêpe parasite dans un hôte qui a déjà été parasité (= superparasitisme) pourrait conduire à une compétition entre larves et à une perte de progéniture. Par conséquent, dans les espèces solitaires, la décision de superparasiter devrait être basée sur la probabilité de survie de la progéniture. Les femelles de Aphidius ervi Haliday et de A. smithi Sharma & Subba Rao (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae), deux parasites du puceron du pois, ont discriminé entre les hôtes parasités par des individus de la même espèce et ceux parasités par des individus d'une espèce différente. Les deux espèces de parasite ont montré une préférence partielle pour les pucerons préalablement parasités par A. smithi, résultat qui était prévisible du fait que, dans la majorité des cas, A. ervi est supérieur à A. smithi dans la compétition entre larves. Les femelles de A. smithi ont sélectivement attaqué les pucerons parasités par un individu de la même espèce lorsqu'il leur était donné de choisir parmi ceux-ci et ceux parasités par les même individu. Les résultats indiquaient que les femelles des deux espèces répondaient à une sorte de phéromone externe pour distinguer les pucerons parasités par le même individu de ceux parasités par un individu de la même espèce et ceux parasités d'une autre espèce. En plus, A. smithi pourrait utiliser des signaux internes pour reconnaître et éviter l'oviposition dans les pucerons préalablement parasités par A. ervi.

     

Observations on the biology of Leuciscus ‘svallize’ in the Kremasta reservoir (Greece)

The age, growth, feeding habits and reproductive biology of Leuciscus svallize in artificial lake Kremasta (Greece), are described. There is a considerable similarity in the feeding and reproductive characteristics between L. svallize and L. cephalus and also a similarity in the life span, growth patterns and age of maturation between L. svallize and some southern L. cephalus populations, which may suggest similar responses of closely related taxa to similar conditions.     

A new simplified assay for larval migration inhibition

, , , and 1992. A new simplified assay for larval migration inhibition. International Journal for Parasitology 22: 1183–1185. A simple method is described for the in vitro detection of substances that impair the motility of third-stage larvae of gastro-intestinal nematodes. The test is based on the ability of larvae to freely migrate through selected mesh sizes of nylon sieves and the reduced ability of larvae to migrate after preincubation with, and in the presence of, substances that inhibit or reduce larval motility.     

The influence of nutritional and genetic factors on larval performance of the cinnabar moth, Tyria jacobaeae

In a laboratory experiment using full-sibs, 60% of the variation in pupal weight of the monophage Tyria jacobaeae L. (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae) could be explained by variation in the nitrogen concentration of the food plant, Senecio jacobaea L. and only 4% by variation in sugar concentration. Larval weight and growth rates of young and old larvae were also positively correlated with nitrogen and sugar concentration. Developmental time was negatively correlated with nitrogen concentration. In a second experiment full-sib families differed significantly in larval weight at day 7, mortality, growth rate and developmental time. Pupal weight did not differ significantly among families, but was positively correlated with nitrogen concentration of Senecio. Larval performance was not significantly influenced by concentrations of sugars or alkaloids. We conclude that larval performance of Tyria during most of the larval period is mainly determined by genetic factors, but pupal weights are primarily determined by nitrogen concentration of the food plant.     

Effect of dietary nitrogen on gypsy moth larval nutritional indices, development and lipid content

Nutritional indices, development rates, percent dry weights and total lipids were determined in gypsy moth larvae (Lymantria dispar L.) reared on a high wheat germ (HWG) diet or diets prepared from lyophilized, ball-milled oak or pine foliage as the only source of dietary nitrogen (N). With regard to both total and proteinaceous N content, HWG diet>oak diet>pine diet. All nutritional indices measured were significantly lower in second instars fed pine diet vs. oak diet. Protein supplementation of pine diet with either casein or ovalbumin to bring total N up to the level present in oak diet resulted in small increased in approximate digestibility (AD) and effciency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), but relative growth rate (RGR) remained unaffected. The low RGR of larvae fed pine diet (unsupplemented or protein supplemented), as compared to those fed HWG or oak diet, was accompanied by significantly lower larval percent dry weight and percent total lipid. In contrast, RGR, larval percent dry weight and total lipid values were comparable in second instars fed HWG or oak diet. Insects reared from the first through the final instar on oak diet exhibited lower pupal weights compared to those reared on HWG. Casein addition to oak diet generally resulted in even more extended larval development times and further reduced pupal weights, but wheat germ addition to oak diet did not alter development rates and caused an increase in pupal weights.     

Intraspecific host discrimination and larval competition inMicroplitis croceipes,Microplitis demolitor,Cotesia kazak (HYM.: Braconidae) andHyposoter didymator HYM: Ichneumonidae), parasitoids ofHeliothis virescens (LEP.: Noctuidae)

Intraspecific host discrimination and larval competition were studied forMicroplitis croceipes (Cresson),Microplitis demolitor Wilkinson,Cotesia kazak (Telenga), andHyposoter didymator (Thunberg), solitary endoparasitoids of the tobacco budworm,Heliothis virescens (F.). In ovipositional choice tests between unparasitized and parasitized hosts, the mean number of ovipositions for unparasitized hosts was significantly higher than the mean number of ovipositions for hosts parasitized once by a conspecific female forC. kazak andH. didymator, demonstrating that females of these two species discriminate against hosts recently (within a few seconds) parasitized by a conspecific female. No significant difference in oviposition occurred between these two kinds of hosts forM. croceipes andM. demolitor. Mean percent parasitization by a second conspecific female was determined at 24, 48, and 72 h delays in time between the first and second female attack, and with no delay. Except for the 0 h time delay forC. kazak andH. didymator, percent parasitization by a second conspecific female generally decreased as the delay in time between the first and second female attack increased. When the second parasitization immediately followed the first, one parasitoid larva always eliminated the other by physical combat. With a 24 or 48 h delay between the first and second parasitization, the younger larva was the victor over the older larva forM. croceipes, M. demolitor andC. kazak in at least 50% of the cases. Elimination of older larvae by younger larva was by physical attack. However, forH. didymator, the older instar was the victor, and elimination of younger larvae by older larvae was probably through physiological processes. Further, older larvae ofH. didymator apparently killed the eggs of the second female by physiological processes.      

Mass rearingCeratitis capitata: reuse of the finisher larval diet

The standard finisher larval diet used at Seibersdorf for rearing the Mediterranean fruit fly,Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), was reused following autoclave heat-treatment to kill larvae or pupae remaining from its first use. Only when the spent diet was mixed with water (about 40% of final diet, w/w) to reconstitute fresh-diet texture, and combined with fresh starter, a similar, but still inferior in respect to larval duration and pupal recovery and size, to the fresh finisher diet production of flies was achieved. Enrichment of the autoclaved spent finisher with small quantities of nutrients gave inconclusive results. Although spent-diet pupae were significantly smaller than fresh-diet control pupae, their adults survived significantly longer than control adults.

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Zur massenaufzucht vonCeratitis capitata: die wiesderverwendung der endkomponente der larvendiät

Zusammenfassung Die in Seibersdorf zur Aufzucht der Mittelmeerfruchtfliege,Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), verwendete Standardendkomponente der Larvendiät konnte nach Abtötung der von der Erstverwendung verbliebenen Larven oder Puppen mittels Autoklavensterilisation wiederverwendet werden. Eine zur frischen Kontrolldiät vergleichbare, jedoch bezüglich der Länge des Larvenstadiums, der Entwicklung der Puppen nach dem Schlüpfen sowie der Größe der Puppen noch immer schlechtere Fliegenproduktion wurde erreicht, wenn die wiederverwendete, autoklavierte Diät mit Wasser (ca. 40% der Enddiät, w/w) zwecks Rekonstitution zur frischen Diättexture gemischt und mit frischem Starter kombiniert wurde. Eine Anreicherung der wiederverwendeten Diätendkomponente mit geringen Mengen von Nährstoffen ergab keine schlüssigen Resultate. Obwohl Puppen der wiederverwendeten Diät signifikant kleiner als Puppen der Frischdiät-Kontrolle waren, überlebten deren Erwachsene signifikant länger als die Erwachsenen der Kontrolle.