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THE REPRODUCTIVE CYCLES OF MALE AND FEMALE LYTTA NUTTALLI (COLEOPTERA: MELOIDAE)13

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

G. H. Gerber  and
N. S. Church
G. H. Gerber
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada, Research Station, Winnipeg, Manitoba
N. S. Church
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada, Research Station, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
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Abstract

Laboratory experiments showed that female Lytta nuttalli Say are capable of developing and depositing more than one batch of eggs. The largest number of batches deposited by a female was 5. Batches laid by one female are the same size, and each batch represents one gonadotropic cycle. Most females lay every 4 to 8 days, the most frequent intervals between consecutive ovipositions being 5 and 6 days. The females copulate at least once before the first oviposition and usually again within 24 h after each oviposition. The first copulation stimulates oocyte maturation and probably also deposition of the first batch of eggs. Additional copulations are not needed for the development and deposition of subsequent egg batches, but appear to stimulate egg output. Sufficient spermatozoa are transferred to the female during the one or more copulations preceding the first oviposition to fertilize all the eggs she produces. The largest number of copulations by a male was 9. Males can copulate as frequently as every 24 h, but the most frequent intervals between copulations in virile males are 2 and 3 days. The basic features of the reproductive cycles of male and female L. nuttalli are found in other Meloinae and probably are characteristic of the subfamily. The fairly large quantities of spermatophoral materials from repeated copulations may be important in the nutrition of the female.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 108 , Issue 10 , October 1976 , pp. 1125 - 1136
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1976

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