Effects of genotype variation in the cultivated rice species on the biology and galling characteristics of the African rice gall midge,Orseolia oryzivora (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

This study assessed the effects of genotype variations in two cultivated rice species: Oryza glaberrima and Oryza sativa on the biology and galling characteristics of the African rice gall midge (AfRGM), Orseolia oryzivora Harris and Gagné. The study was conducted in the screen house at ambient temperature (27 ± 3°C), 70 ± 5% relative humidity and 12:12 h photoperiod. Shoot galling, the most visible response of rice genotypes to attack by the insect, was greatly suppressed, being only 0.7 cm long in the O. glaberrima genotypes compared to 34 cm in the O. sativa species. Larval mortality (70–88%) in the O. glaberrima genotypes was significantly higher at the first instar compared to O. sativa. Gall setting was confirmed to be an irredeemable tiller loss. Even in the susceptible O. sativa genotypes, where many larvae may colonize a tiller, only one survived to the second instar. Resistant and susceptible rice genotypes had significantly different effects on the development and reproductive anatomy of the AfRGM. The female reproductive anatomy which consists of two ovaries, each with a potential complement of 192 eggs was affected by interspecific variation in rice genotypes causing reduced potential fecundity (32); morphological distortion, 60% reduction of egg size of F1 emergent in O. glaberrima compared to emergent from the susceptible O. sativa genotypes.     

Infochemical-mediated preference behavior of the parasitoid Microctonus hyperodae when searching for its adult weevil hosts

Infochemicals are the most important cues used by parasitoids for host location. The attractiveness of infochemicals in a tritrophic context is expected to be determined by the degree of specialization of the parasitoid and its host(s). Microctonus hyperodae Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an oligophagous parasitoid that attacks adult Curculionidae of the Brachycerinae subfamily, especially Listronotus bonariensis Kuschel, on Gramineae. In 1996, a new host–parasitoid association between the carrot weevil Listronotus oregonensis LeConte and M. hyperodae was created in the laboratory. In this study, the infochemicals used by M. hyperodae when searching for its adult weevil hosts were determined using a Y‐shaped olfactometer. Three curculionid species (L. oregonensis, Listronotus sparsus Say, and Neydus flavicaudis Boheman) and one bruchid species [Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius)], and their feces, were tested. It was expected that hosts phylogenetically and ecologically close to L. bonariensis would be more attractive than species less related but in fact, M. hyperodae responded only to L. oregonensis and its feces. When feces and host insects were tested separately, M. hyperodae responded to the odors emitted by L. oregonensis adults but not to their feces, suggesting that most of the kairomones came from the host itself. Host plants were also tested, but M. hyperodae responded neither to Lolium multiflorum Lamark (Gramineae) nor to Daucus carota L. (Umbelliferae) leaves.     

Using food for different purposes: female responses to prey in the predator Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract.  1. Although predatory insects often feed on diverse prey, their reproductive activity may be linked most strongly to a more restricted range of prey. The propensity of adult females of the ladybird beetle, Coccinella septempunctata L., to attack two natural prey species, pea aphids [ Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)] and alfalfa weevil larvae [ Hypera postica (Gyllenhal)], was compared, and the degree to which ladybird egg production depends on consumption of aphids vs. weevils was assessed.
2. Coccinella septempunctata females more readily attacked aphids than weevil larvae. This was true regardless of whether females had fed previously on aphids or on weevil larvae.
3. When females were provided with few to many aphids daily, or few aphids plus an excess number of weevil larvae, their rates of egg production depended primarily on the number of aphids consumed.
4. Addition of weevil larvae to diets of limited numbers of aphids increased egg production, but only modestly. Thus, consumption of weevil larvae may have served mostly for self-maintenance, thereby enabling females to use for egg production more of the nutrients and energy obtained from limited consumption of aphids.
5. The females' linkage of egg production primarily to aphid rather than weevil consumption may be adaptive, as their offspring are much less able as larvae to survive and mature on a diet of weevils rather than aphids.     

Oviposition and oogenesis in virgin fire ant females Solenopsis invicta are associated with a high level of dopamine in the brain

Abstract. In the fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren, virgin females are capable of shedding their wings (dealation) and laying haploid eggs. However, dealation and reproduction are inhibited by a queen primer pheromone that depresses the release of Juvenile Hormone by the corpora allata. In an attempt to identify other neural signals that trigger the reproductive system, we measured the effect on brain biogenic amines of separation from the queen. Dopamine in the brain of virgin females increased from 552 ± 42 to 971 ± 65 fMol/brain when reproduction and dealation were stimulated by 15 days of separation. Octopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine did not change significantly after the separation. Isolated virgin females fed with a tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor 3-iodo- l -tyrosine mixed in sucrose for 15 days laid significantly fewer eggs and had fewer chorionated oocytes in their ovarioles than females fed with sucrose only. Restoring dopamine biosynthesis by adding l -dopa to the food also restored oogenesis and oviposition. Dealation was not affected by 3-iodo- l -tyrosine or l -dopa. The possible role of dopamine as the neural target of the queen pheromone regarding its potent allotoregulatory effect in other insects is discussed.     

Oviposition-stimulatory activity of phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids of host-plant origin to a danaid butterfly, Ideopsis similis

Oviposition response of Ideopsis similis (L.) (Lepidoptera: Danaidae) was examined for 12 phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids present in its host plant, Tylophora tanakae (Maxim.) (Asclepiadaceae). At least five alkaloids, i.e. (+)‐isotylocrebrine (3,4,6,7‐tetramethoxyphenanthroindolizidine; l ), (+)‐3‐demethyliso‐ tylocrebrine ( 3 ), (+)‐isotylocrebrine N‐oxide ( 5 ), (+)‐6‐demethyltylocrebrine ( 8 ) and (–)‐7‐demethyltylophorine ( 10 ), were found to individually stimulate oviposition by females. Of these, compounds 1, 3 and 10 were regarded as key components most responsible for host recognition or preference. However, female egg‐laying was much higher in response to a mixture of the five alkaloids. In two‐choice bioassays, more eggs were deposited on samples comprising the five alkaloids than on samples consisting of a single alkaloid. This suggests strongly that host selection by the butterfly is mediated by the synergistic action of several phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids present in the host plant.     

Biology of Galaxiella munda McDowall (Teleostei: Galaxüdae), including a comparison of the reproductive strategies of this and three other local species

The reproductive biology, growth and diet of Galaxiella munda McDowall in a south-western Australian river are described. Monthly trends in gonadosomatic indices, stages in ovarian development and the size and maturity of oocytes show that spawning extended from July to October and peaked in late August to early September. Histology of ovaries indicated that G. munda produced clutches of eggs which it released at intervals. Data on length-frequencies, otoliths and gonads demonstrate that G. munda typically died in the few months after spawning. By age I, the females and males of G. munda had reached 47 mm (≡ 0.54 g) and 43 mm (≡ 0.42 g), respectively. The respective von Bertalanffy growth curve parameters for L., K and to were 48.6 mm, 3.702 and -0.0014 for females and 44.3 mm, 4.217 and -0.0012 for males. Galaxiella munda fed predominantly on terrestrial fauna on the water surface, cladocerans and copepods in the water column, and dipteran larvae in the benthos. Comparisons are made between the above aspects of the biology of G. munda and those recorded for three other locally endemic species ( Galaxias occidentalis Ogilby, Bostockia porosa Castelnau and Edelia vittata Castelnau) and wherever possible with other Galaxiella species. Such comparisons have emphasized the relationship between size and age at first maturity and spawning mode.     

Chemostimuli implicated in selection of oviposition substrates by the stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans

Horse and cow dung were tested as substrates for oviposition by the stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans (L) (Diptera: Muscidae) in laboratory cages. Odour alone from either horse or cow dung was sufficient to attract flies for oviposition. This was confirmed in wind tunnel experiments, where both horse and cow dung were shown to attract gravid stable flies. However, when S. calcitrans was offered a choice between these two oviposition substrates, flies always chose horse dung over cow dung, both when allowed to contact the substrates and when relying on dung odour alone. Analyses of volatile compounds emanating from horse and cow dung by gas chromatography linked antennogram recordings from S. calcitrans antennae revealed no differences in the chemostimuli released from the two substrates. The predominant chemostimulant compounds in both substrates were carboxylic acids (butanoic acid), alcohols (oct-1-en-3-ol), aldehydes (decanal), ketones (octan-3-one), phenols (p-cresol), indoles (skatole), terpenes (beta-caryophyllene) and sulphides (dimethyl trisulphide). Higher levels (20-40 p.p.m.) of carbon dioxide were recorded over horse dung compared with cow dung, a factor that may contribute to the preference exhibited by S. calcitrans for this substrate for oviposition.     

Suitability of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) instars for the parasitization by Encarsia bimaculata and Eretmocerus sp. nr. furuhashii (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) on glabrous and hirsute host plants

The host instar preferences of Encarsia bimaculata and Eretmocerus sp. nr. furuhashii parasitizing Bemisia tabaci and their development on four host plants, collard, eggplant, cucumber and tomato, were studied in the laboratory. Both of the parasitoids accepted all nymphal stages of B. tabaci, but E. bimaculata preferred third and fourth instars while Er. sp. nr. furuhashii preferred second and third instars under both choice and no choice conditions. Regardless of host stage parasitized, adults of parasitoids emerged only from fourth instars. When given the simultaneous choice of all instars, E. bimaculata reduced parasitization of first and second instars (3.73 and 4.76%, respectively) while increasing parasitization of third and fourth instars (5.44 and 6.93%, respectively), in contrast Er. sp. nr. furuhashii increased its parasitization of second and third instar nymphs (1.27 and 3.17%, respectively) and decreased that of first and fourth instars (7.0 and 3.06%, respectively). Host plants did not significantly influence instar preference for either parasitoid. Developmental periods of both the parasitoids from egg to adult emergence were longest when first instars were parasitized and shortest when fourth instars were selected. Parasitoid developmental time was generally shorter on glabrous plants than on hirsute plants.     

Seasonal reproductive cycle in relation to tolerance to high temperatures in the terrestrial slug Lehmannia valentiana

Abstract. Seasonal maturation of the gonad (hermaphrodic gland) was examined in the terrestrial slug Lehmannia valentiana in Osaka, Japan. The ratio of the gonad weight to body weight was low in June–September, rapidly increased in October, and gradually decreased thereafter. In May–September, most slugs had only spermatogonia and spermatocytes, and all slugs had mature sperms in October–April. The oocyte size increased in September and large oocytes were observed in late October–April. Under natural temperature and photoperiodic conditions in Osaka, slugs laid eggs in early November–May. Therefore, this species reproduces from late autumn to spring, in contrast to many terrestrial slugs. In January–early February, however, the number of laid eggs was small and oviposition activity showed a bimodal seasonal pattern. In contrast, the hatching pattern was unimodal and most hatching was observed in spring. After a 1-h exposure to 33°C, the survival rate was 100% in juvenile slugs but 0% in eggs. Although hatching success was >85% at 15°–20°C, no eggs hatched when they were maintained at 25°C. The heat susceptibility of eggs in this species may be one of the key factors restricting oviposition from late autumn to spring.     

寄主植物对荔枝蒂蛀虫产卵的引诱作用

试验观察荔枝蒂蛀虫Conopomorpha sinensisBradley对寄主植物品种、器官及器官部位的产卵选择性规律。结果表明,与老梢相比,荔枝蒂蛀虫明显倾向于选择嫩梢产卵;4个荔枝品种果枝中以妃子笑上落卵数最多,在淮枝、糯米糍荔枝果实上较少,桂味荔枝上最少;不同的荔枝品种果实气味引诱雌虫产卵的能力不同,其中妃子笑引诱力最强,淮枝、糯米糍引诱力较低,桂味最低;在同一荔枝果实不同部位的落卵量,以果皮上、下两部分较大,全果明显低于果皮上部,而荔枝肉和荔枝核上没有落卵。