Revision of the life history of the High Arctic moth Gynaephora groenlandica (Wocke) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (7) ◽  
pp. 1371-1381 ◽  
Author(s):  
W Dean Morewood ◽  
Richard A Ring

Many studies have explored the adaptations of arctic and alpine Gynaephora species (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) to their environment, and base-line life-history information is important for the interpretation of such studies. Data and observations on G. groenlandica (Wocke) collected in recent years at Alexandra Fiord, Ellesmere Island, Canada, contradict some of the life-history information previously published for this species from the same site. Detailed analysis of larval head capsule widths and consideration of growth ratios indicate that there are seven rather than six larval instars and that the pattern of development does not deviate significantly from that defined by the Brooks-Dyar rule. Field-rearing of larvae indicates that first-instar larvae overwinter, while field- and laboratory-rearing both indicate that larvae moult once per year, every year. These data and observations greatly shorten and simplify the life history from that previously published and suggest a life cycle of 7 rather than 14 years. This revised life cycle is not presented as an absolute, in recognition of the potential for individual variation, but rather as typical of the developmental pattern of most of the population. As such, it should provide a useful base line for further studies, especially those addressing the influence of predicted climate change in the Arctic.

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Kukal ◽  
Peter G. Kevan

The life history of Gynaephora groenlandica was studied in the high arctic at Alexandra Fiord, Ellesmere Island. Life history events (larval development, pupation, adult emergence, mating, oviposition, hatching, and moulting to the second larval instar) occurred only in the 3–4 weeks before mid-July. Larvae fed mainly on Salix arctica. They stopped feeding by the end of June, hid, and spun hibernacula. Nineteen percent of third- and fourth-instar larvae were parasitized by the wasp Hyposoter pectinatus (Ichenumonidae); 52% of fifth- and sixth-instar larvae and pupae were parasitized by the fly Exorista sp. (Tachinidae). We estimated that G. groenlandica has a life cycle lasting 14 years. Parasitism caused 56% of overall mortality, whereas cumulative winter mortality was calculated as 13% of a cohort passing through a 14-year life cycle. Peak of activity of adult parasitoids coincided with inactivity of Gynaephora larvae during July. Selective pressure of parasitism may restrict development of G. groenlandica to a short period before adult parasitoids are most active. The importance of parasitoids in the life history of G. groenlandica suggests that parasitism is as significant as climate in population regulation of insects living in the high arctic.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Adebayo Ojo ◽  
Adebayo Amos Omoloye

The tamarind weevil, Sitophilus linearis Herbst (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an important pest of tamarind and other Caesalpinioideae. Investigating its life history is important in the implementation of management strategy. Its life history was monitored daily to understand its developmental biology on tamarind seed following standard procedures under laboratory conditions of 24–30°C temperature, 60–70% relative humidity, and 12L : 12D photoperiod. The egg incubation period lasted 3.17 ± 0.07 days. A mated female of S. linearis laid an average of 165 ± 5.78 eggs during an oviposition period of 86.8 ± 2.47 days. There were four larval instars, with a total larval developmental period of 16 days. The pupal period lasted 8 days, and adult lived 108.5 ± 3.61 days. The overall growth ratio for the four instars was 1.33. There was a regular relationship and significant correlation (r=0.94) between the stages of larval development and head capsule width.


Author(s):  
Alec R. Lackmann ◽  
Malcolm G. Butler

Except for one unconfirmed case, chironomid larvae have been reported to pass through four larval instars between egg and pupal stages. We have observed a fifth larval instar to be a standard life-cycle feature of the podonomine Trichotanypus alaskensis Brundin 1966 in tundra ponds on the Arctic Coastal Plain near Barrow, Alaska. T. alaskensis has a one-year life cycle in these arctic ponds. Adults emerge in June ~2-3 weeks after pond thaw, then mate and oviposit; most newly-hatched larvae reach instar IV by October when pond sediments freeze. Overwintering larvae complete instar IV within a few days of thaw, then molt again to a fifth larval instar. Imaginal discs, normally seen only during instar IV in Chironomidae, develop across both instars IV & V prior to pupation and adult emergence. While monitoring larval development post-thaw in 2014, we noticed freshly-molted T. alaskensis larval exuviae a week or more prior to any pupation by that species. In 2015-16 we reared overwintering instar IV larvae from single pond sources, individually with daily monitoring, through molts to instar V, pupa, and adult. Some overwintering instar II and III larvae were reared as well, but were few in number. During 2016 we also reared T. alaskensis progeny (from eggs) through instar II, thus documenting head capsule size ranges for all five instars in a single pond’s population. Without individual rearings, the fifth larval instar was not readily apparent for two reasons: 1) The molt itself occurs immediately after thaw and is so synchronous it is difficult to discern in daily field samples. 2) The head capsule size increment between instars IV-V is much lower than the ratio predicted by the Brooks-Dyar Rule. Up through instar IV, the Brooks-Dyar ratio for T. alaskensis ranged 1.30-1.61, but during the IV-V molt head capsule dimensions (sexes pooled) increased by a ratio of 1.09 – comparable to the magnitude of sexual dimorphism in head capsule size within each of the final two larval instars. Individual rearings coupled with 2014-2016 field surveys in nine other ponds suggest that five larval instars is an obligatory trait of this species at this location. As this is the first confirmed case of five larval instars in a chironomid, the phylogenetic uniqueness of this trait needs further investigation.


Author(s):  
J. B. Brown-Gilpin

The wide variety of reproductive patterns and behaviour in the many species of Nereidae already studied clearly justifies further research. But the life history of Nereis fucata (Savigny) is not only of interest from the comparative point of view. Its commensal habit (it occurs within shells occupied by hermit crabs) immediately gives it a special importance. This alone warrants a detailed study, particularly as no commensal polychaete has yet been reared through to metamorphosis and settlement on its host (Davenport, 1955; Davenport & Hickok, 1957). The numerous interesting problems which arise, and the experimental methods needed to study them, are, however, beyond the range of a paper on nereid development. It is therefore proposed to confine the present account to the reproduction and development up to the time when the larvae settle on the bottom. The complete life cycle, the mechanism of host-adoption, and related topics, will be reported in later papers.


1953 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang-Yu Wu

A cause of swimmer's itch in the lower Ottawa River is Trichobilharzia cameroni sp. nov. Its life cycle has been completed experimentally in laboratory-bred snails and in canaries and ducks, and the various stages are described. The eggs are spindle-shaped. The sporocysts are colorless and tubular. Mother sporocysts become mature in about a week. The younger daughter sporocyst is provided with spines on the anterior end and becomes mature in about three weeks. The development in the snail requires from 28 to 35 days. A few cercariae were found to live for up to 14 days at 50 °C., although their life at 16° to 18 °C. was about four days. Cercariae kept at room temperature for 60 to 72 hr. were found infective. The adults become mature in canaries and pass eggs in about 12 to 14 days. Physa gyrina is the species of snail naturally infected. It was found in one case giving off cercariae for five months after being kept in the laboratory. Domestic ducks were found to become infected until they were at least four months old, with the parasites developing to maturity in due course; no experiments were made with older ducks. Furthermore, miracidia were still recovered from the faeces four months after the duck had been experimentally infected, and it is suggested that migratory birds are the source of the local infection.


2013 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Brinesh ◽  
K.P. Janardanan

AbstractThe life-cycle stages of Pleurogenoides malampuzhensis sp. nov. infecting the Indian bullfrog Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (Daudin) and the skipper frog Euphlyctiscyanophlyctis (Schneider) occurring in irrigation canals and paddy fields in Malampuzha, which forms part of the district of Palakkad, Kerala, are described. The species is described, its systematic position discussed and compared with the related species, P. gastroporus (Luhe, 1901) and P. orientalis (Srivastava, 1934). The life-cycle stages, from cercaria to egg-producing adult, were successfully established in the laboratory. Virgulate xiphidiocercariae emerged from the snail Digoniostoma pulchella (Benson). Metacercariae are found in muscle tissues of dragonfly nymphs and become infective to the frogs within 22 days. The pre-patent period is 20 days. Growth and development of both metacercariae and adults are described.


1952 ◽  
Vol 84 (10) ◽  
pp. 316-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Stark

General.—The purpose of this paper is to analyse a sampling method devised to assess larval populations in an outbreak of the lodgepole needle miner, Recurvaria milleri Busck (Busck 1914, Hopping 1945).The problem of developing an adequate sampling method is intimately concerned with the life-history of the insect, the region of the outbreak and the nature of the forest stand in which the outbreak occurs. In sampling most defoliator populations the problem is made more difficult by external feeding and wandering habits, hence it is usually done in some relatively inactive stage at a fixed time. de Gryse (1934) describes the problems inherent in sampling these insects. The needle miner, however, is fixed in its location for most of its life-cycle and is therefore readily obtainable for study. The problem here is reduced to a statistical one, that of obtaining an acceptable sample i.e. within suitable error limits with due regard for existing variables.


1967 ◽  
Vol 99 (5) ◽  
pp. 529-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Carlson ◽  
J. W. Butcher

AbstractThis paper reports on studies of biology and life history of the Zimmerman pine moth, Dioryctria zimmermani (Grote), in southern Michigan.Adults emerged during the last 3 weeks of August and eggs hatched through mid-September. Eggs were laid almost entirely on the main stem and, upon hatching, the larvae entered recesses in the bark and spun hibernacula, ostensibly without feeding.Studies on the vertical distribution of larvae and pupae showed a fairly uniform distribution over the main stem in spring and early summer. In late summer, a larger percentage was found in middle whorls.Based on head capsule measurements, it is tentatively proposed that there are six larval stadia. Occurrence of parasitism in the last larval stadia is discussed, and a new egg parasite is reported.The presence of D. abietivorella Grote in the study areas is noted, and discussed briefly.


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