Oviposition behaviour of Neltumius arizonensis Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) : a biological control agent of Prosopis spp. in South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorHoffmann, J Hen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorMoran, V Cen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorStrathie, Lorraine Wallaceen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-18T13:56:45Z
dc.date.available2016-08-18T13:56:45Z
dc.date.issued1995en_ZA
dc.descriptionBibliography: pages 67-82.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractLittle has been documented on the biology of Neltumius arizonensis Schaeffer. This bruchid is native to the south-western United States of America and is a prospective biological control agent of Prosopis spp. in South Africa. The primary objective of this study was to examine and quantify the oviposition behaviour of N. arizonensis females under different conditions to determine whether eggs of conspecifics or of another bruchid species, Algarobius prosopis (LeConte), affected oviposition. Diet, the number of mates, the duration of access to mates, and the variety of Prosopis pod provided for oviposition all affected the fecundity of N. arizonensis. Optimal conditions for N. arizonensis oviposition included: a diet of pollen pellets in solution, constant access to a limited number of mates, and mature, undamaged Prosopis pods of the 'mottled-purple' variety. The physical structure of the surface of Prosopis pods, observed by scanning electron micrography, did not reveal trends in characteristics among pod varieties that could be linked to the oviposition preferences of N. arizonensis. The rate of oviposition in N. arizonensis peaked between the third and eighth day after emergence from pods and was highest during the first hour when females that had been deprived of pods for at least three days, were provided with pods. Each N. arizonensis female laid an average of about 80 eggs during her lifetime, which was about 3 5 days on average. An event-recording computer programme was developed to quantify the oviposition behaviour of N. arizonensis when females were provided with one of four types of Prosopis pods for one hour: (a) pristine pods, (b) pods with conspecific eggs, (c) pods with A. prosopis eggs deposited within slits, and (d) pods with egg-free slits. Analyses of time budgets indicated that pod type had no significant effect on behaviour, although some activities differed significantly with the type of pod provided, but probably only as a result of the greater number of eggs laid on some pod types. Certain activities i.e. inspection of the pod surface, remaining stationary, and scraping of the ovipositor across the surface prior to egg deposition, occupied significantly more time on pods than other activities. Pod type did not affect the total time females spent on pods, nor the frequency of visits to pods. The availability of clean seeds did not affect the quantity of eggs deposited and the rate of oviposition did not differ significantly on pods of different types.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationStrathie, L. W. (1995). <i>Oviposition behaviour of Neltumius arizonensis Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) : a biological control agent of Prosopis spp. in South Africa</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21345en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationStrathie, Lorraine Wallace. <i>"Oviposition behaviour of Neltumius arizonensis Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) : a biological control agent of Prosopis spp. in South Africa."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21345en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationStrathie, L. 1995. Oviposition behaviour of Neltumius arizonensis Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) : a biological control agent of Prosopis spp. in South Africa. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Strathie, Lorraine Wallace AB - Little has been documented on the biology of Neltumius arizonensis Schaeffer. This bruchid is native to the south-western United States of America and is a prospective biological control agent of Prosopis spp. in South Africa. The primary objective of this study was to examine and quantify the oviposition behaviour of N. arizonensis females under different conditions to determine whether eggs of conspecifics or of another bruchid species, Algarobius prosopis (LeConte), affected oviposition. Diet, the number of mates, the duration of access to mates, and the variety of Prosopis pod provided for oviposition all affected the fecundity of N. arizonensis. Optimal conditions for N. arizonensis oviposition included: a diet of pollen pellets in solution, constant access to a limited number of mates, and mature, undamaged Prosopis pods of the 'mottled-purple' variety. The physical structure of the surface of Prosopis pods, observed by scanning electron micrography, did not reveal trends in characteristics among pod varieties that could be linked to the oviposition preferences of N. arizonensis. The rate of oviposition in N. arizonensis peaked between the third and eighth day after emergence from pods and was highest during the first hour when females that had been deprived of pods for at least three days, were provided with pods. Each N. arizonensis female laid an average of about 80 eggs during her lifetime, which was about 3 5 days on average. An event-recording computer programme was developed to quantify the oviposition behaviour of N. arizonensis when females were provided with one of four types of Prosopis pods for one hour: (a) pristine pods, (b) pods with conspecific eggs, (c) pods with A. prosopis eggs deposited within slits, and (d) pods with egg-free slits. Analyses of time budgets indicated that pod type had no significant effect on behaviour, although some activities differed significantly with the type of pod provided, but probably only as a result of the greater number of eggs laid on some pod types. Certain activities i.e. inspection of the pod surface, remaining stationary, and scraping of the ovipositor across the surface prior to egg deposition, occupied significantly more time on pods than other activities. Pod type did not affect the total time females spent on pods, nor the frequency of visits to pods. The availability of clean seeds did not affect the quantity of eggs deposited and the rate of oviposition did not differ significantly on pods of different types. DA - 1995 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1995 T1 - Oviposition behaviour of Neltumius arizonensis Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) : a biological control agent of Prosopis spp. in South Africa TI - Oviposition behaviour of Neltumius arizonensis Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) : a biological control agent of Prosopis spp. in South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21345 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/21345
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationStrathie LW. Oviposition behaviour of Neltumius arizonensis Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) : a biological control agent of Prosopis spp. in South Africa. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 1995 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21345en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherZoologyen_ZA
dc.titleOviposition behaviour of Neltumius arizonensis Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) : a biological control agent of Prosopis spp. in South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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