Postembrionic development and reproductive parameters of the grasshopper pest Borellia bruneri (Acrididae: Gomphocerinae) under controlled conditions

Abstract Borellia bruneri, a common grasshopper in much of the grasslands of Argentina and Uruguay, is considered, according to the categories widely accepted for defining the pest status of grasshopper species, a "Frequent plague of importance". In order to determine fundamental aspects of its biology and reproduction, three cohorts of B. bruneri were monitored under controlled conditions (30º C, 14L: 10D, 40% RH). The total duration of nymphal development was 50.6 days, both males and females having five nymphal instars. There was a significant difference in the duration of the different stages within each cohort. In the three cohorts, the first instar duration (12.87 days) was longer than the rest, approximately 5.6 days more than the second that was the shortest (7.26 days). The average longevity of female adults was 56.6 days, and in males, 54.4 days. The number of egg-pods per female was 3.5 and the amount of eggs per egg-pod was 10.8. Mean fecundity was 37.9 eggs per female with an oviposition rate of 1.20 eggs/female/day. Finally, knowing the life cycle of B. bruneri is relevant in order to optimize the control measures for this species.

Postembryonic development and food consumption of Dichroplus elongatus Giglio-Tos and Dichroplus maculipennis (Blanchard) (Orhtoptera: Acrididae: Melanoplinae) under laboratory conditions

Dichroplus maculipennis (Blanchard) and D. elongatus Giglio-Tos are two of the most important melanoplines in Argentina, both ecologically and economically. The postembryonic development and forage loss (consumption of Bromus brevis Ness + fallen material) caused by older nymphs (instars IV, V, VI) and adults of both species were studied under controlled conditions (30ºC, 14L:10D, 40 percent RH). Five nymphal instars were recorded in D. elongatus, and six in D. maculipennis. Total nymphal development was similar in both species (D. elongatus: 32 ± 0.70 days; D. maculipennis: 34.5 ± 0.37 days). Daily consumption increased from nymphal instars to pre-reproductive adult stage. In both species, pre-reproductive females had higher consumption rates than other stages considered (D. elongatus: 30.6 ± 0.56 mg dry weight/day; D. maculipennis: 48.7 ± 0.74 mg dry weight/day). In the reproductive stage, consumption decreased significantly in both sexes. When feeding, D. maculipennis let some plant material to drop, increasing total loss. The percentage of fallen material was greater in reproductive adults, representing 3.9 percent and 2.9 percent of the total daily loss for males and females, respectively. Females and males of D. maculipennis were heavier than those of D. elongatus (P < 0.05), and daily consumption was significantly higher (P < 0.05). Regardless sex and reproductive status, adults of D. maculipennis consumed 29.1 ± 0.64 mg dry weight/day on average, while one of D. elongatus 20.0 ± 0.3 mg dry weight/ day.

Comparative study of the stridulatorium sulcus, buccula and rostrum of nymphs of Triatoma klugi Carcavallo et al, Triatoma vandae Carcavallo et al and Triatoma williami Galvão et al (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

Ultrastructural analysis of the ventral region of the head - rostrum, buccula and stridulatorium sulcus - of 1st, 3rd and 5th instars of Triatoma klugi Carcavallo et al, Triatoma vandae Carcavallo et al, and Triatoma williami Galvão et al, are described in here. Morphological differences in the analyzed structures for all three Triatoma species studied were detected under scanning electron microscopy, allowing their grouping by their morphological similarities. Species-specific differences at each nymphal development stage were analyzed as well.

Variáveis relacionadas ao desenvolvimento de Triatoma infestans Klug, 1834 em condições de laboratório. 1. Relação entre o repasto sanguíneo e o desenvolvimento / Variables influencing the growth of Triatoma infestans Klug, 1834 in the laboratory: 1. Relation between blood meal and growth

Em continuação a estudos iniciados anteriormente, visando padronização de parâmetros envolvidos na realização de xenodiagnóstico, procurou-se observar neste experimento as relações existentes entre as manipulações em laboratório, a quantidade de sangue ingerido no repasto sanguíneo e o desenvolvimento ninfal de Triatoma infestans. Foram utilizados dois grupos, formados por 180 ninfas de 1.0 estádio cada um. Um destes grupos constituiu a amostra testada para as manipulações diárias de pesagem, enquanto o outro grupo foi mantido sem manipulação, servindo como controle. A manipulação interferiu na quantidade de sangue sugado, tendo o grupo manipulado sugado cerca de 35% menos sangue do que o controle. A quantidade de sangue sugado pelas ninfas, no estádio em que morreram, correspondeu a valor sensivelmente menor do que O observado para a média do volume de sangue sugado pelos demais insetos de mesmo estádio, que sobreviveram à muda seguinte. A medida que os reduvídeos avançaram em seus estádios evolutivos, necessitaram mais repastos; assim, no 1.0 estádio 82,43% das ninfas precisaram um único repasto, enquanto no 5.° estádio 77,39% tiveram que se alimentar duas ou mais vezes. Nos estádios mais jovens, quando ocorreu necessidade de mais de um repasto, dentro do mesmo estádio, observou-se que a quase totalidade das ninfas sugaram quantidade de sangue maior do que em repasto anterior. Tais informações permitem que os autores discutam sobre as formas e condições de criação de triatomíneos em laboratório e sobre as ninfas adequadas ao xenodiagnóstico (AU).