A rapid technique for analysing diets of invertebrate predators by electrophoresis |
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Authors: | R A MURRAY MG SOLOMON |
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Institution: | East Mailing Research Station, Maidstone, Kent ME 19 6BJ |
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Abstract: | A technique has been developed for the rapid determination of some species of prey consumed by mites and insects. The method detects prey enzymes within the gut of a predator by polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis and subsequent staining for esterase activity. It is sufficiently sensitive to detect fruit tree red spider mite (Panonychus ulmi) esterases within the gut of a single predacious mite (Typhlodromus pyri) for at least 31 h after feeding. The method has been used to demonstrate feeding relationships among a range of insect and mite predator and prey species in the laboratory and in the field. |
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