Malays. Appl. Biol (1998) 27(1 & 2): 113-117
CONTRASTING CHARACTERISTICS OF EGGS LAID BY FEMALES FROM A SINGLE COHORT OF MENOCHILUS SEXMACULATUS FABR. (COLEOPTERA: COCCINELLIDAE)
MAISIN, N.1, S.T.S. HASSAN1*, M.Y. HUSSEIN2 and A.S. SAJAP3
1 Department of Biology, 2 Department of Plant Protection, 3Department of Forest Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia,
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
ABSTRACT
The coccinellid Menochilus sexmaculatus Fabr. is potentially an effective biological control agent of aphids in Malaysia. A clear demarcating trend of egg characteristics from a single cohort of females was observed. The relationships between egg weight and percent egg hatch, eggs laid per day per female and egg weight, and eggs laid per day per female and percent egg hatch were examined. The trends observed were linear, negative exponential and linear with a negative slope respectively, for each relationship. There were two groups of eggs based on the sequence of day of oviposition: Those oi early ovipositions (day 1 to 13 of oviposition), which were heavier and more fertile, and those of later ovipositions (day 14 to 27 of oviposition), which were lighter and less fertile.
ABSTRAK
Kumbang kura-kura Menochilus sexmaculatus Fabr. adalah salah satu agen kawalan biologi yang berpotensi dan berkesan bagi mengawal afid di Malaysia. Trend yang jelas tentang ciri-ciri telur yang dihasilkan oleh kumbang betina dari satu kohort dilaporkan. Perkembangan atau hubungkait antara ciri-ciri berat telur dan peratus penetasan, penghasilan telur per hari dan berat telur, dan penghasilan telur per hari dan peratus penetasan telah dikaji. Trend yang diperolehi adalah garis lurus, eksponen negatif, garis lurus dengan kecerunan negatif, masing-masing untuk setiap hubungkait. Dari segi jujukan tiarian oviposisi terdapat dua kumpulan telur: Pertama, peringkat awal oviposisi (hari pertama hingga ketiga belas oviposisi), dengan telur yang lebih berat dan subur, dan kedua, peringkat akhir oviposisi (hari ke-14 hingga ke-27 oviposisi) yang menghasilkan telur yang lebih ringan dan kurang subur.
Key words: Biological control, coccinellid, ladybird, mass culturing, Menochilus sexmaculatus
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