Biology of Sergentomyia Ingrami (Diptera: Psychodidae): Report on Autogeny and the Effects of Delayed Oviposition on Fecundity
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Authors
McLaughlin, Nathan E.
Issue Date
1990
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The prevalence of autogeny, the ability of haematophagus
insects to lay viable eggs without first taking a blood meal, was
investigated for the sand fly, Sergentomyia ingrami, collected from
Marigat, Baringo District, Kenya. Individual sand flies were taken
from a laboratory colony maintained at the International Centre of
Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE). Those sand flies that were fed
only sugar did not produce any eggs, whatsoeve. This anautogeny
could be due to a particularly low-protein larval diet, or it could
reflect an absence of autogenous capability for this particular strain
of S. ingrami. In the second group of trials, sand flies that were
allowed to oviposit 7 da. after emergence produced an average of
123.6 eggs per female, while the control group which oviposited 5 da.
post-emergence produced an average of 72.1 eggs per female.
Because females that did not oviposit were not counted in these
means, the increase in fecundity is not related to the increased
opportunity for mating gained by this delay. This marked increase
In fecundity is probably related to the advanced age of the females
at oviposition, the consequent difference in sexual maturity, and the
increase in the amount of time females are able to retain viable
sperm for fertilization before oviposition.
Description
vi, 21 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo College
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder.