Effect of food on immature development, consumption rate, and relative growth rate of Toxorhynchites splendens ( Diptera: Culicidae ), a predator of container breeding mosquitoes
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
; 100(8): 893-902, Dec. 2005. tab, graf
Article
em En
| LILACS
| ID: lil-419957
Biblioteca responsável:
BR1.1
RESUMO
Food utilization by the larvae of Toxorhynchites splendens (Wiedemann) was studied in the laboratory by offering larvae of Aedes aegypti Linnaeus, Anopheles stephensi (Liston), and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say). Quantitative analyses of data indicated that immature development was significantly faster with increase in food availability. The regression analysis showed that the degrees of the relationship between immature duration (Id) and food availability were higher when offered early instars of prey (first and second instars) than late instars. Consumption rate (Cr) of the predator increased with increase in food availability and this relationship was highly significant when larvae of An. stephensi were offered as food. Consumption rate to food level decreased with increase in the age class of the prey. There was a significant negative correlation between Id and Cr. This aspect helps to increase population turnover of T. splendens in a shorter period when the prey is abundant. Conversely, the predator compensated the loss in daily food intake at low food level by extending Id thereby attains the minimum threshold pupal weight for adult emergence. There was an increase in the relative growth rate (RGR) of the predator when An. stephensi was offered as prey and this was related to the high protein content of the prey per body weight. There was a positive correlation between Cr and RGR. This adaptive life characteristic strategy of this predator is useful for mass-rearing for large scale field release programmes in the control of container breeding mosquitoes is discussed.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
LILACS
Assunto principal:
Comportamento Predatório
/
Culicidae
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz
/
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
/
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz (Online)
/
Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Impresso)
/
Proceedings of the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
Assunto da revista:
MEDICINA TROPICAL
/
PARASITOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2005
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Índia
País de publicação:
Brasil