Mushroom Host Influence on Lycoriella mali (Diptera: Sciaridae) Life Cycle

L. O’Connor; C. B. Keil

doi:10.1093/jee/98.2.342

Studies on Stenobracon deesae (Cam.), a Parasite of certain Lepidopterous Borers of graminaceous Crops in India

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485300033277 ◽

1954 ◽

Vol 45 (4) ◽

pp. 647-659 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

E. S. Narayanan ◽

R. P. Chaudhuri

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Relative Humidity ◽

Sex Ratio ◽

Sugar Cane ◽

Host Selection ◽

Average Duration ◽

Adult Life ◽

Laboratory Conditions ◽

June July ◽

Host Influence

Experiments were conducted to investigate oviposition and host selection by Stenobracon deesae (Cam.), a Braconid parasite of certain Lepidoperous borers of sugar-cane, maize and sorghum in India. The fecundity and sex-ratio of this parasite and the duration of its life-cycle were also studied.Chilo zonellus (Swinh.) and Corcyra cephalonica (Staint.) were used as hosts. The former is one of the principal hosts in the field, but the latter is not normally a host of this parasite.The femal Stenobracon normally avoids laying eggs on hosts that are already parasitised by its own kind when unparasitised hosts are available; but in the absence of healthy hosts or when these are too crowded, parasitised hosts are attacked by it.At a temperature of 26°C. and relative humidity of 75 per cent., the life-cycle of the parasite was completed, on an average, in 23·3 days, but under laboratory conditions at Delhi it took 14·1 days in June-July and 43·7 days in November-December. The average duration of adult life of females in June-February, mainly in ordinary laboratory conditions, was 35·7 days, and single females lived as long as 122 and 128 days. The adult male lived for 42·7 days on the average.In the laboratory, the female lays about 24 eggs on an average, but only about one-third of them yield adults.Males predominate. The sex-ratio appears to vary according to the host; among adults reared on Chilo larvae, 28·8 per cent. were females, but among others reared on Corcyra larvae, only 6·2 per cent. were females.The phenomena of discrimination between parasitised and unparasitised hosts and of the change of sex-ratio with change of host are discussed. It is suggested that the ovipositor enables the parasite to recognise the host and that the stimuli received by the ovipositor from the host influence the functioning of the spermatheca which in turn controls fertilisation and finally the sex of the progeny.

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Ultrastructural analysis of “Sensory” surface nerve endings and “putative” neurotransmitter sites in Schistosoma mansoni Miracidia

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100156791 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 47 ◽

pp. 962-963

Author(s):

Betty Ruth Jones ◽

Steve Chi-Tang Pan

Keyword(s):

Nervous System ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Schistosoma Mansoni ◽

Snail Host ◽

Complex Life Cycle ◽

Rational Approach ◽

Effective Control ◽

The Social ◽

Social And Economic Development ◽

Basic Biology

INTRODUCTION: Schistosomiasis has been described as “one of the most devastating diseases of mankind, second only to malaria in its deleterious effects on the social and economic development of populations in many warm areas of the world.” The disease is worldwide and is probably spreading faster and becoming more intense than the overall research efforts designed to provide the basis for countering it. Moreover, there are indications that the development of water resources and the demands for increasing cultivation and food in developing countries may prevent adequate control of the disease and thus the number of infections are increasing.Our knowledge of the basic biology of the parasites causing the disease is far from adequate. Such knowledge is essential if we are to develop a rational approach to the effective control of human schistosomiasis. The miracidium is the first infective stage in the complex life cycle of schistosomes. The future of the entire life cycle depends on the capacity and ability of this organism to locate and enter a suitable snail host for further development, Little is known about the nervous system of the miracidium of Schistosoma mansoni and of other trematodes. Studies indicate that miracidia contain a well developed and complex nervous system that may aid the larvae in locating and entering a susceptible snail host (Wilson, 1970; Brooker, 1972; Chernin, 1974; Pan, 1980; Mehlhorn, 1988; and Jones, 1987-1988).

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A freeze-fracture-etched study of the physarum polycephalum plasma membrane during early formation of the macroplasmodial stage

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100147570 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 346-347

Author(s):

Randolph W. Taylor ◽

Henrie Treadwell

Keyword(s):

Plasma Membrane ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Growth Phase ◽

Filter Paper ◽

Physarum Polycephalum ◽

Freeze Fracture ◽

Petri Dish ◽

Wire Screen ◽

Wide Mouth ◽

Sterile Filter

The plasma membrane of the Slime Mold, Physarum polycephalum, process unique morphological distinctions at different stages of the life cycle. Investigations of the plasma membrane of P. polycephalum, particularly, the arrangements of the intramembranous particles has provided useful information concerning possible changes occurring in higher organisms. In this report Freeze-fracture-etched techniques were used to investigate 3 hours post-fusion of the macroplasmodia stage of the P. polycephalum plasma membrane.Microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum (M3C), axenically maintained, were collected in mid-expotential growth phase by centrifugation. Aliquots of microplasmodia were spread in 3 cm circles with a wide mouth pipette onto sterile filter paper which was supported on a wire screen contained in a petri dish. The cells were starved for 2 hrs at 24°C. After starvation, the cells were feed semidefined medium supplemented with hemin and incubated at 24°C. Three hours after incubation, samples were collected randomly from the petri plates, placed in plancettes and frozen with a propane-nitrogen jet freezer.

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