Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T04:41:19.936Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Environmental Causes of Variation in the Sex Ratio of an Arrhenotokous Insect, Dahlbominus fuliginosus (Nees) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

A. Wilkes
A. Wilkes
Affiliation:
Entomology Research Institute, Research Branch, Canada Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, Ontario
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Unlike most other arrhenotokous species, D. fuliginosus females cannot control fertilization of their eggs and in an optimal environment the sex ratio of any one strain is constant. Variations in the sex ratio occurred when unfavourable environmental conditions prevailed before, during and immediately following mating. Beyond half their life span, males inseminated less than half the females they mated and the inseminated females produced fewer female progeny. Temperatures above 27 °C. during post-embryonic development sterilized otherwise functional males but had much less effect on females. Structural defects of either sex were rare. Mating was successful only within the normal range for optimal adult activity. Although females were inseminated by more than one male, the sex ratio of their progeny was not affected. Larval mortality from superparasitism above 65 larvae per host differentially favoured survival of males, heightening the incidence of pairing in nature at low host population densities. The percentage females was significantly reduced when oviposition was interrupted, or delayed by low temperature, providing a possible explanation for the numerous reported differences in the sex ratio between laboratory and different geographically located populations.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 95 , Issue 2 , February 1963 , pp. 183 - 202
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1963

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bradley, W. G., and Burges, E. D.. 1934. The biology of Cremastus flavoorbitalis (Cameron), an ichneumonid parasite of the European corn borer. U.S. Dept. Agric. Tech. Bull. 441, 15 pp.Google Scholar
Clausen, C. P. 1939. The effect of host size upon the sex ratio of hymenopterous parasites and its relation to methods of rearing and colonization. J. New York Ent. Soc. 47: 1–9.Google Scholar
Dunn, L. C. 1960. Variations in the transmission ratios of alleles through eggs and sperm of Mus musculus. Am. Naturalist 94: 385–393.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flanders, S. E. 1939. Environmental control of sex in hymenopterous insects. Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer. 32: 11–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flanders, S. E. 1945. The role of the spermatophore in the mass propagation of Macro-centrus ancylivorus. J. Econ. Ent. 38: 323–327.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flanders, S. E. 1946. Control of sex and sex-limited polymorphism in the Hymenoptera. Quart. Rev. Bio. 21: 135–143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flanders, S. E. 1956. The mechanism of sex-ratio regulation in the parasitic Hymenoptera. Insectes Sociaux 3: 325–334.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grosch, D. C. 1948. Dwarfism and differential mortality in Habrobracon. J. Expt. Zool. 107: 289–314.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guyenot, E. 1913. Etudes biologiques sur une mouche, Drosophila ampelophila Sus. VI. Résorption des spermatozoides et avortement des oeufs. Compt. rend. soc. biol. Paris. 74: 389–391.Google Scholar
Holdaway, F. G., and Smith, H. E.. 1932. Relation between size of host puparia and sex ratio of Alysia manducator Pantzer. Aust. J. Exptl. Biol. Med. Sci. 10: 247–259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kanungo, K. 1955. Effects of superparasitism on sex ratio and mortality. Current Sci. 24: 59–60.Google Scholar
Narayanan, E. S., and Subba Rao, B. R. 1955. Studies on insect parasitism. I-III. The effect of different hosts on the physiology, on the development and behaviour and the sex-ratio of Microbracon gelechiae Ashmead. Beitr. Ent. 5: 36–60.Google Scholar
Norris, M. J. 1933. Contributions toward the study of insect fertility. II. Experiments on the factors influencing fertility in Ephestia kühniella (Lepidoptera, Phycitidae). Proc. Zool. Soc. London 2: 903–934.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reeks, W. A. 1937. Notes on the biology of Microplectron fuscipennis Zett., as a cocoon parasite of Diprion polytomum Hartig. Can. Ent. 69: 185–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schlager, G. 1960. Sperm precedence in the fertilization of eggs in Tribolium castaneum. Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer. 53: 557–560.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Szmidt, A. 1960. Die Wirtswahl von Dahlbominus fuscipennis (Zett.) (Hym., Chalcididae) und die Einung des Wirtes für den Parisiten. Anz. Schädlingsk. 33: 20–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ullyett, G. C. 1936a. The physical ecology of Microplectron fuscipennis Zett., (Hymenoptera, Chalcididae). Bull. Ent. Res. 27: 195–217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ullyett, G. C. 1936b. Host selection by Microplectron fuscipennis Zett., (Chalcididae, Hymenoptera). Proc. Roy. Soc. B. London 120: 253–291.Google Scholar
Uvarov, B. P. 1931. Insects and climate. Trans. Ent. Soc. London 79: 1–247.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilkes, A. 1942. The influence of selection on the preferendum of a chalcid (Microplectron fuscipennis Zett.) and its significance in the biological control of an insect pest. Proc. Roy. Soc. B. London 130: 400–415.Google Scholar
Wilkes, A. 1947. The effects of selective breeding on the laboratory propagation of insect parasites. Proc. Roy. Soc. B. London 134: 227–245.Google ScholarPubMed
Wilkes, A. 1959. Effects of high temperatures during postembryonic development on the sex ratio of an arrhenotokous insect, Dahlbominus fuliginosus (Nees) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Can. J. Genet. Cytol. 1: 102–109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar