LABORATORY STUDIES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF NOMADACRZS GUTTULOSA (WALKER) (ORTHOPTERA ACRIDIDAE)

Abstract

The spur-throated locust Nomadacris guttulosa (Walker) was reared under laboratory conditions for the first time. Females were larger and heavier than males and had 1-3 additional instars. Eye stripe number was the most useful indicator of instar number. Male nymphs changed colour from green to brown on average 1 instar earlier than females. Ratios of adult hind femur length/head capsule width and fore wing lengthlhind femur length were independent of sex. The ratios obtained were similar to those expected of the extreme solitarious phase of other locusts.The duration of the nymphal stage decreased with temperature; 137 d at 24'C; 62 d at 3 1°C and 60 d at 32"/39"C. Food type had no effect except at 27°C and 35% relative humidity (RH), where first-instar nymphs fed daily on cut wheat seedlings failed to survive, but did so on wheat growing in tubes.Under continuous illumination and 35-48% RH, oviposition commenced earlier at 32'/39'C than at 31°C.

Variation in the number of nymphal instars inNysius huttoniWhite (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae)

“…As mentioned above, the effects of host plants, crowding and humidity on the number of instars have been proved for some insects (Long 1953;Leonard 1968;Ballmer & Pratt 1989;Elder 1989;Penz 1990;Casimero et al 2000;Bentancourt et al 2003Bentancourt et al , 2004Azidah & Sofian-Azirun 2006). In the present study, since the rearing was carried out individually with 65Á75% relative humidity and a single food was used, these responses could not be considered.…”

“…The number of instars, however, varies intraspecifically in a considerable number of species. Variation in number of instars has been reported to be related to factors such as sex (Fleischmann et al 1968;Penz 1990;Garcia-Barros 2006;Esperk et al 2007b), temperature (Roberts et al 1978;Tanaka 1979;Kamata & Igarashi 1995;Zhu & Tanaka 2004;Kingsolver 2007), humidity (Elder 1989), photoperiod (Ingram & Jenner 1976;Tanaka 1979;Tanaka et al 1999;Taniguchi & Tomioka 2003;Zhu & Tanaka 2004), crowding (Long 1953;Leonard 1968), host plants or food quality and quantity (Penz 1990;Casimero et al 2000;Bentancourt et al 2004;Azidah & Sofian-Azirum 2006) and heredity (Brehme 1939;Solonon 1973;Zhou & Topp 2000) in many insects.…”

Morphometrics of field populations of Austracris guttulosa (Walker) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Australia

“…guttulosa reared from egg in individual glass jars indicated that the species was sexually dimorphic, females being larger than males (Elder 1989).…”

Temporal Incidence and Sexual Maturation of Austracris guttulosa (Walker) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Queensland, Australia

“…Under conditions of continuing high moisture, oviposition may be prolonged leading to outbreaks. Elder (1989Elder ( , 1991 studied the life history and effect of environmental factors on sexual maturation of A . guttulosa in the laboratory.…”