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A rearing apparatus and diet for the aquatic firefly Luciola leii (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2012

Xinhua Fu
Affiliation:
Institute of Insect Resources, Department of Plant Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China ([email protected])
Ohba Nobuyoshi
Affiliation:
OHBA Firefly Institute, 4-1-12-204 Maborikaigan, Yokosuka City, 239-0801, Japan
Ying Zhang
Affiliation:
Institute of Insect Resources, Department of Plant Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
Chaoliang Lei*
Affiliation:
Institute of Insect Resources, Department of Plant Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
*
1 Corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected]).

Abstract

An artificial rearing apparatus for the aquatic firefly Luciola leii Fu and Ballantyne is described, consisting of two small rearing boxes placed inside a larger outer box, a choice of diet, and a suitable substrate for oviposition. Larvae feeding on crushed prey snails (Gyraulus convexiusculus Huton and Lymnaea stagnalis (L.)) showed moderate growth, while those feeding exclusively on muscle of the snail Bellamya purificata Heude grew the best, with a pupation rate of 71%, adult emergence rate of 88.7%, larval duration of 203 days, and pupal duration of 5.1 days. Larvae feeding on fish meat (Carassius auratus L.) and pork meat did not rear well, having lower pupation rates (11% and 5.5%, respectively) and lower emergence rates (54.5% and 54.5%, respectively). Analysis of the three species of aquatic snails, isolated fish meat, and isolated pork meat revealed that the concentrations of amino acids in a protein sample of B. purificata were higher than those in samples of the other two snails, G. convexiusculus and L. stagnalis, but less than those in samples of the fish and pork meat. It is concluded that the rearing apparatus and the diet, which affects water quality, are important factors in the successful rearing of the aquatic firefly L. leii.

Résumé

Nous décrivons un appareillage pour élever en laboratoire la luciole aquatique Luciola leii Fu et Ballantyne consistant en deux petites boîtes d'élevage placées à l'intérieur d'une boîte plus grande, nous donnons un choix de régimes alimentaires et nous présentons un substrat approprié pour la ponte. Les larves nourries de proies écrasées, soit de gastéropodes Gyraulus convexiusculus Huton et Lymnaea stagnalis (L.), ont une croissance modérée, alors que celles qui s'alimentent exclusivement de muscles du gastéropode Bellamya purificata Heude croissent le mieux, avec un taux de nymphose de 71 %, un taux d'émergence des adultes de 88,7 %, une durée de la vie larvaire de 203 jours et une durée de la nymphose de 5,1 jours. Les larves nourries de chair de poisson (Carassius auratus (L.)) et de viande de porc ne réussissent pas aussi bien; leurs taux de nymphose sont bas, respectivement de 11 % et de 5,5 % et leurs taux d'émergence aussi, respectivement de 54,5 % et 54,5 %. Les analyses des trois espèces de gastéropodes aquatiques, de la chair isolée de poisson et de la viande isolée de porc indiquent que la concentration d'acides aminés dans un échantillon de protéines de B. purificata est plus élevée que dans les échantillons des deux autres gastéropodes, G. convexiusculus et L. stagnalis, mais moins que dans les échantillons de poisson et de viande de porc. En conclusion, l'appareillage d'élevage et le choix du régime alimentaire, qui affecte la qualité de l'eau, sont des facteurs importants pour la réussite de l'élevage de la luciole aquatique L. leii.

[Traduit par la Rédaction]

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 2006

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