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LABORATORY STUDIES OF PREDATION OF SNAILS BY LARVAE OF THE MARSH FLY, SEPEDON TENUICORNIS (DIPTERA: SCIOMYZIDAE)1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Robert P. Geckler
Robert P. Geckler
Affiliation:
Biomathematics Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
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Abstract

Larvae of the marsh fly, Sepedon tenuicornis Cresson, were used to determine (1) number and approximate volume of snails killed before pupation, (2) time required to make the first kill as a function of distance and snail density, and (3) vulnerability of snails of different sizes to larvae of different sizes.Results1. Mean number of snails killed (by 34 larvae): 8.1 ± 2.5, (S.E.) Volume: 544 ± 256 mm3.2. Regression line relating time required to kill as a function of snail density: T (minutes) = 65.3–111.6 × (snail density).Regression line relating time to kill and snail densities of 0.6 and 1.2 snails/cm as a function of distance from snails: T = 0.79–0.33 × (distance).Data from a snail density of 0.3/cm could not be pooled because of high day-to-day variation in larvae.3. Vulnerability of snails can be expressed for each larva length by the equation: Fraction of snails killed = a + b × (snail size).

Values of a and b are as follows:

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 103 , Issue 5 , May 1971 , pp. 638 - 649
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1971

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References

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