Calling characteristics of parasitized and unparasitized populations of the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus

Summary Examination of three populations of the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus revealed the presence of an acoustically-orienting parasitoid fly, Ormia ochracea (Tachinidae), in the population of crickets that has been introduced to the Hawaiian Islands. The cricket is native to Australia and the Pacific, and the fly is native to North America but has also been introduced to Hawaii. Up to 27% of males and 7% of females in Hawaii were infested with fly larvae. Song structure in the parasitized Hawaiian population was distinct from that of the other two groups, with the Hawaiian crickets showing several reduced song parameters. In addition, onset and cessation of calling at dusk and dawn were more abrupt in the Hawaiian population. These results are consistent with selective pressure from the phonotactic flies to decrease risky calling. Silent males were present in all three populations, suggesting that these noncallers may not represent a unique adaptation to the parasitoid. Correspondence to: M. Zuk     

Circadian rhythmicity of locomotor behavior and oviposition in female Teleogryllus commodus

Summary Locomotor activity of the Teleogryllus commodus is under circadian control, with _LL=25.3 h and _DD=23.4 h. In LD 12:12 h, running occurs either exclusively during darkness (57%), mainly in the dark phase (35%), or with substantial activity peaks in both phases (8%). For oviposition, _LL>24 h and _DD<24 h; in LD 12:12 h, 80% of the studied deposited their eggs mainly during the light phase and 20% primarily during darkness. In the discussion, a temporal correlation between stridulation, spermatophore formation, and locomotion, and oviposition is established, which serves to make an encounter and mating between the sexes as likely as possible.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. M. Gersch on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Mating disruption of the honeybee mite Varroa destructor under laboratory and field conditions

Mating in the mite Varroa destructor, an ectoparasite of the honeybee, takes place within the sealed brood cell of its host and is triggered by a female sex pheromone consisting of three fatty acids and their respective ethyl esters. In a laboratory bioassay, we observed interactions among offspring of a Varroa female at 11 days after host cell capping in the absence and in the presence of the sex pheromone and clearly demonstrated that male mites were not able to distinguish between receptive daughters and either older or immature and unreceptive females when exposed to the pheromone. In addition, mating attempts in the presence of the pheromone with otherwise receptive females were clearly of shorter duration and males often failed to select a receptive female. In order to evaluate the effect of pheromone exposure on successful copulations and the number of spermatozoa transferred under field conditions, we sprayed one of the pheromone components, oleic acid, on an empty brood comb before host egg-laying and Varroa infestation and counted the spermatozoa of daughter mites taken from this comb. We could show that the number of spermatozoa was indeed reduced, and 20 % of females lacked spermatozoa. Our results open up new possibilities and represent a promising step toward biological control of Varroa mites in beehives.     

Maturation,epitoky and regeneration in the polychaete Eunice siciliensis under field and laboratory conditions

In the gonochoric polychaetous annelid Eunice siciliensis Grube, germ cells only develop in the posterior segments of the worm; these segments subsequently differentiate into an epitokous portion separating at maturity from the infertile body part. As in the Pacific and Atlantic palolo worms, the epitokous portions die some hours after spawning. Laboratory investigations revealed that the anterior parts of spawned worms survive and regenerate genital segments. After a period of at least 8 months, paired gonads are developed in these segments. Gonia proliferating later from the germinal tissue are released from gonadal sacs into the coelomal cavities, where gamete development occurs. A reproductive epitokous portion does not mature and separate until the second year of cultivation; it is followed by caudal regeneration. These facts and the observation that only about 50% of the individuals obtained from samples of coralligène were sexually differentiated, led to the conclusion that E. siciliensis probably has a bi-annual reproductive cycle. Caudal regeneration does not depend on the presence of a prostomia hormone. The ability to form posterior regenerates is inherent to the parapodial segments of all body regions, except for mature genital segments. This is also valid for the formation of morphologically different secondary prostomia. However, for initiation and further promotion of gametogenesis and epitokous development, at least one gonadotropic factor originating from the prostomium is required. Neurosecretory cells within the brain suggest this factor(s) to be of neuro-endocrine nature. Specimens developing secondary prostomia were found both under field and laboratory conditions. In several cases, sexual development took place, and even epitokous portions were separated from such individuals. From this it appears that the gonadotropic functions are re-established by the regenerated prostomia in order to ensure reproduction in individuals accidentally deprived of the anterior end. The possible rôle of temperature and light as environmental factors involved in the control of normal and regenerative growth, of sexual development and reproduction is discussed.     

Effect of temperature on activity and social behavior of the adult tautog Tautoga onitis under laboratory conditions

Experiments were conducted on the effects of high, sublethal temperature on activity, social behavior, and feeding in the adult tautog Tautoga onitis held under controlled laboratory conditions. Norms of these behaviors were established during acclimation to temperatures at which these fish are commonly found. During acclimation, the fish were active and feeding throughout the day. A dominance hierarchy, based primarily on size, was established for each group, with subordinate fish being displaced from all areas of the aquarium. Under elevated temperature, changes in established norms of these behaviors were observed, with activity, feeding, aggression, and the spacing between fish showing a decrease. Following return to pre-rise temperatures, although aggression remained reduced, activity, interfish distance, and feeding approached levels established during acclimation. A comparison of these results with previous ones on young tautog is made and the significance of the findings is discussed.This work was supported, in part, by a grant from the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration No. E(49-7) 3045.     

Sexual signalling and viability in a wolf spider (Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata): measurements under laboratory and field conditions

This study examined the crucial prediction of the conditional-handicap theory, the relationship between male sexual trait size and male viability, in the wolf spider Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata. In this species, males court females by drumming dry leaves with their abdomen, and males with the highest drumming rate enjoy highest mating success. We determined male drumming rate, body mass, and mobility, which reflects mate-searching activity, in relation to male survival. Because it is often difficult to know how results obtained from laboratory studies reflect the natural world, particularly when the measured variable is survival, we repeated our study in both laboratory and field conditions. Males drumming at the highest rate survived better than males drumming at a lower rate in both laboratory and field conditions. These results are in accordance with the predictions of conditional-handicap models of sexual selection. Survival was independent of male body mass and there was no significant correlation between male drumming activity and body mass. However, large males moved further than smaller males, and males moving longer distances lost less mass than those moving shorter distances. These results suggest that, moving, and consequently mate-searching activity, may be a condition-dependent trait and that there may be a advantage for large males in mate searching. Received: 22 October 1998 / Received in revised form: 28 January 1999 / Accepted: 14 February 1999     

Growth and reproduction of Pycnogonum litorale (Pycnogonida) under laboratory conditions

The complete life cycle of Pycnogonum litorale Ström was observed under laboratory conditions. At 15?°C and a 16?h light:8?h dark photocycle, the duration of embryonic development from oviposition to egg-hatching varied from 32 to 111?d. The onset of egg hatching ranged from 32 to 81?d after oviposition in different egg batches, and the period between the first and the last hatch within a single egg batch varied between 16 and 57?d. The larval period, consisting of five larval instars, lasted between 66 and 113?d. Juvenile development required seven (exceptionally 8 or 9) moults and lasted between 263 and 400?d. The average interval between successive moults in juveniles increased with increasing size from 24 to 82?d. Though females did not moult more often than their male conspecifics, they reached a size from 8.5 to 11.0?mm (average 10.1?mm) while adult males measured only 7.0 to 8.5?mm (average 7.7?mm). At low temperatures (2?°C) moulting was almost completely inhibited. After raising the temperature to 6?°C, the moulting frequency increased to a rate almost as high as at a constant temperature of 15?°C. Moulting was also retarded by starvation and accelerated by subsequent feeding. Adults lived for up to 9?years without further moults, with several periods of mating and oviposition at irregular intervals. In combination with previous long-term field observations, the present results provide a more complete picture of the life cycle of P. litorale in a natural habitat. The great variation in the duration of the different developmental stages, the ability to survive periods of cold and starvation, and the longevity of the adults are important for the survival of pycnogonid populations under changing environmental conditions.     

Acquisition and loss of cold-tolerance in adult barnacles (Balanus balanoides) kept under laboratory conditions

In the laboratory, Balanus balanoides (L.) barnacles maintained without food at 5°C over the winter to summer period remained cold-tolerant. Winter animals maintained at 5°C and fed Artemia nauplii under a controlled light-dark regime until mid-summer lost this cold-tolerance. Summer animals, maintained without food at 5° or 15°C until midwinter, became cold-tolerant. Summer and winter animals subjected to increased (or decreased) ambient salinity for 48 h showed a small decrease (or increase) in their lower median lethal temperature (MLT—defined as the temperature at which 50% of the animals die after 18 h exposure to air). Summer animals subjected to desiccation for 48 h also showed a small decrease in their lower MLT. It is concluded that the seasonal changes in cold-tolerance of adult barnacles are probably induced by a combination of environmental factors including food availability, light intensity, day-length and changes in ambient sea-water temperatures. Development of cold-tolerance in the winter did not depend upon fertilisation. Changes in intra-cellular solute concentration which accompany adaptation to changes in ambient salinity or desiccation do not appear to be related to the seasonal changes in cold-tolerance.     

A study on the elimination of 137Cs in mussels under contaminated fields and laboratory conditions

The natural depuration or bioelimination of ^l37Cs was investigated in Mytilus galloprovincialis under contaminated field and laboratory conditions. The depuration result represented by a single component and biological half‐life was found to be 63 days under Chernobyl condition during 1986–1987. On the other hand, the biological half‐life of ¹³⁷Cs were found in the range 19.7–27.1 days in the laboratory experiment. The bioelimination process was also found biphasic and dependent of temperature at 5°C and 13°C under laboratory conditions. The results obtained in the contaminated field and the laboratory are not comparable in the mussels.     

Larval development of Pilumnoides perlatus (Brachyura: Xanthidae) under laboratory conditions

Larvae of the xanthid crab Pilumnoides perlatus (Poeppig, 1836) have been reared in the laboratory at 3 different temperatures (10.2°, 15° and 20°C) from hatching to megalopa stage. The 5 zoea stages and the megalopa, as well as the setation of the functional appendages are described and illustrated. The main characteristics useful to differentiate the larval stages of P. perlatus from those of Homalaspis plana, the other Chilean species of the same family so far reared, are discussed. Data on duration of zoea development, length of moulting intervals, and mortality at the 3 test temperatures are also given.This study was partially supported by the Chilean National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT).     

Larval development of Ocypode quadrata (Brachyura: Crustacea) under laboratory conditions

The larvae of Ocypode quadrata (Fabricius) have been reared in the laboratory, from hatching to megalopa stage, at 35 S, 25°C. The five zoeal stages and the megalopa are described, including functional appendages of each stage. On the basis of morphological characteristics, the first zoeal and megalopa stages of O. quadrata can be distinguished from similar stages of closely related Ocypodinae. At 25°C, the megalopa appeared in a minimum of 34 days following hatching.     

Harvest time residues of pendimethalin in tomato,cauliflower, and radish under field conditions

Herbicides applied to vegetables play an important role in higher production of vegetables due to effective and timely control of weeds but at the same time herbicides residue may produce numerous environmental problems. The aim of this study was to determine whether application of herbicide for control of annual weeds in vegetable growing areas at recommended levels resulted in residues at the time of harvest. Thus, terminal residues of pendimethalin in vegetables such as tomato, cauliflower, and radishes were studies under field conditions. Pendimethalin was applied as pre-emergence herbicides at 1 kg a.i. ha^?1 to tomato, cauliflower, and radish crops. Soil and vegetables samples were collected from pendimethalin-treated plots at maturity to determine harvest time residues of pendimethalin. At harvest, 0.008, 0.001, and 0.014 μg/g residues of pendimethalin were found in tomato, cauliflower, and radishes, respectively.     

Gas exchange in Paulownia species growing under different soil moisture conditions in the field

In order to evaluate their responses to drought, we determined the photosynthetic activity water potential, stomatal conductance, transpiration, water use efficiency photosynthetic photon flux density and leaf temperature of Paulownia imperialis, P. fortunei and P. elongata in three different soil moisture conditions in the field. Our results showed that P. imperialis had greater photosynthesis (8.86 micromol CO2 m(-2) s(-1)) and instantaneous water use efficiency (0.79 micromol CO2 mmol H2O(-1)) than either P. elongata (8.20 micromol CO2 m(-2) s(-1) and 0.71 micromol CO2 mmol H2O(-1)) or P. fortunei (3.26 micromol CO2 m(-2) s(-1) and 0.07 micromol CO2 mmol H2O(-1)). The rapid growth of Paulownia did not appear to be correlated with photosynthetic rates. Paulownia fortunei showed more transpiration (48.78 mmol H2O m(-2) s(-1)) and stomatal conductance (840 mmol m(-2) s(-1)) than P. imperialis (20 mmol H2O m(-2) s(-1) and 540 mmol m(-2) s(-1)) and P. elongata (20 mmol H2O m(-2) s(-1) and 410 mmol m(-2) s(-1)), which allowed these two Paulownia species to increase their tolerance to low soil moisture, and maintain higher water use efficiency under these conditions. According to our physiological gas exchange field tests, Paulownia imperialis does appear to be capable of successful growth in semiarid zones.     

Utilization of growth parameters of eelgrass,Zostera marina,for productivity estimation under laboratory and in situ conditions

Allometry was used for monitoring aboveground growth of the marine angiosperm Zostera marina L. Dry weight was regressed with leaf length and width, allowing estimation of aboveground net productivity and biomass of individual plants. At the termination of the experiment, rhizome productivity of the same plants was determined by harvesting. Plants in shaded and unshaded seawater tanks were monitored from June until September, 1976; in situ plants were also monitored at Point Judith Pond, Rhode Island, USA. Unshaded plants had shorter leaves, a lower net productivity, lower biomass, and a lower aboveground-torhizome productivity ratio than shaded plants. Unshaded plants had a higher rate of rhizome branching and the resulting new shoot formation than in situ plants.     

Acute toxicity of pentachlorophenol (PCP) on goldfish (Carassius auratus) under laboratory conditions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) recognized PCP as an environmental pollutant in need of control. Temperature and hardness were two controlling factors in PCP toxicity to fish.

Information on acute toxicity may provide the upper bounderies of dose‐response relationships.

Adult goldfish (Carassius auratus) were used to determine acute toxicity to 24, 48, 72 and 96 h LC50 for PCP.

Natural degradation and persistence of PCP in experimental water was also determined at pH 8.4 and two temperatures (22 and 29 °C).     

Larval development of the spider crab Pisoides edwardsi (Decapoda,Brachyura) under laboratory conditions

Larvae of Pisoides edwardsi (Bell, 1835) have been reared in the laboratory at 2 different temperatures (13.8° and 18.5°C), from hatching to megalops stage. The two zoeal stages and the megalops, as well as the setation of the functional appendages are described and illustrated. The main characteristics useful to differentiate the larvae of P. edwardsi from those of Libidoclaea granaria, the other Chilean species belonging to the same sub-family, are discussed. Data on duration of zoeal development, length of moulting intervals, and mortality at the 2 test temperatures, are also given.This study was financially supported, in part, by the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture.     

Diurnal photosynthesis, water use efficiency and light use efficiency of wheat under Mediterranean field conditions

Photosynthesis and transpiration rates of wheat leaves (Triticum aestivum L.) were measured at 30 min intervals under Mediterranean field conditions, using Photosynthesis Monitor system (PM-48M). The dynamics of net photosynthetic rate (P(N)), transpiration rate (E(T)), water use efficiency (WUE), light use efficiency (LUE), stomatal conductance (g(s)), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), air temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), and atmospheric CO2 concentration (Catm) were quantified at five rainfed wheat sites with the same stages of development (midflowering) along south-to-north and east-to-west transects for eight days in April. Diurnal P(N) (3.6 to 6.6 micromol m(-2) s(-1)), PAR (392 to 564 micromol m2 sec(-1)), LUE (0.006 to 0.015) and WUE (0.0001 to 0.011) did not vary significantly across all five wheat sites (p > 0.05). P(N) and E(T) were strongly coupled and highly correlated with PAR (p < 0.001). Best multiple linear regression (MLR) models accounted for 92% of variations in P(N) as a function of PAR and E(T), and 90% in E(T) as a function of PAR and RH (p < 0.001). P(N) exhibited a peak at mid-morning, and a photosynthetic midday depression under the limiting effects of high evaporative demand. Diurnal variations in WUE and LUE showed a bimodal behavior with the maximum values in early morning and late afternoon. As the impacts of global climate change become increasingly felt, continuous measurements of climate-crop-soil-managementinteractions under natural conditions play a pivotal role not only in exploring changes in ecophysiological properties of strategic crops for food security such as wheat but also in devising preventive and mitigative management practices to ensure sustained agricultural productivity.     

Within-brood patterns of paternity and paternal behavior in red-winged blackbirds

We video-taped male and female red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) feeding individual chicks in order to test the hypothesis that food might be differently allocated to within-pair offspring and extra-pair young. We found no evidence that paternity influenced the allocation of food by either males or females. Both males and females fed male offspring significantly more, but there was no tendency for paternity to be skewed by gender. Females fed older offspring significantly more, whereas males did not; extra-pair fertilizations, however, were not associated with lay or hatch order of the chicks. Given that males do not appear to discriminate within-pair from extra-pair offspring directly, these results are consistent with current theory on the effect of paternity on paternal behavior. We discuss briefly some of the possible reasons why discrimination might be lacking in red-winged blackbirds and in other species in which the possibility of discrimination of paternity and allocation of paternal behavior has been studied.     

Larval development of the red crab Pleuroncodes monodon (Decapoda Anomura: Galatheidae) under laboratory conditions

Larvae of Pleuroncodes monodon (Milne-Edwards, 1837), a red crab of commercial importance in South America, were reared in the laboratory at 2 different temperatures (15° and 20°C), from hatching up to the last larval stage. The 5 typical stages, with their corresponding functional appendages, are described and figured. The main characteristics useful in differentiating larvae of P. monodon from those of the other Chilean species of Galatheidae and its northern congener P. planipes are discussed. Data on duration of each larval stage, length of moulting intervals and mortality at the 2 test temperatures are also given.This study was financially supported by the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture and by the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT).