Aline Carraro Formentini

Biological aspects of Hylesia metapyrrha (Lepidoptera; Saturniidae; Hemileucinae), in laboratory.

The aim of this work was to study biological aspects and the life cycle of Hylesia Metapyrrha in a laboratory. Laboratorial breeding was made at 25 +/- 1 degrees C, 70 +/- 10% UR and 14 hours of photophase, feeding the larvae with guava leaves (Psidium guayava L. - Myrtaceae). Time was evaluated on the days of all the development stages; morphometry was evaluated in millimeters and the pupas mass in grams. The eggs were disposed in groups and covered by urticating abdominal hair. The incubation period lasted 52 days. The larvae, with gregarious habits, presented background black coloration, yellowish scoli and two orange longitudinal lines above and below the spiracles, during the development which lasted an average period of 74.59 days and went through seven instars. The pre-pupa and the pupa stages lasted on average 8.82 and 50.56 days, respectively; the female pupae presented a duration, weight and size which was significantly bigger. The adult stage lasted on average 5.50 days with periods of pre, post and oviposition of 2.30, 1.90 and 1.00 days, respectively. This study broadens the knowledge of the immature stages, biological, morphological and behavioral aspects, until then restricted to the morphology and to registers of the occurrence of the adult forms.

Biological and morphological aspects of Leucanella viridescens (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae: Hemileucinae).

The goal of this work was to describe aspects of the biology and morphology of Leucanella viridescens (Walker, 1855), a polyphytophagous species that is a pest to several crops of economical interest and whose larvae may cause erucism. Biological parameters were obtained under controlled conditions: temperature of 25 ± 1oC, relative humidity of 70 ± 10%, and a 14 h photophase. Morphological and behavioral aspects were analyzed in each developmental phase. The larval stage had six instars, with an average growth rate of 1.396. A high degree of polyphytophagy was observed, including over 49 host plant species belonging to 25 families, especially Leguminosae, Solanaceae and Salicaceae. The considerable chromatic variability of the adults obtained from the same egg batch corroborates the need for a new taxonomic assessment of L. viridescens viridescens Walker, 1855 and L. viridescens viridior Lemaire, 1973.

Biologia de Automeris illustris (Walker) (Lepidoptera, Saturniidae, Hemileucinae)

This work aimed to study the biology of Automeris illustris (Walker, 1855) which is a polyphytophagous, considered secondary pest of eucalypts culture in wich their caterpillars might cause erucism. The biological parameters were obtained in controlled conditions of temperature: 25 ± 1oC, UR 70 ± 10% and photofase of 14 hours, with daily observations. On each developmental phase, morphological and ethologic aspects, as well as duration and viability, were evaluated. In order to link the host plants to the insect it were added data of collected material on field and referred in the bibliography. Under laboratory conditions it was observed that the life cycle needed of about 121 days whose mean periods of eggs, caterpillars, pre-pupae, pupae and adult phases were 10.60, 80.56, 3.58, 19.17 and 7.83 days, respectively. The caterpillars passed by six instars with a growth average rate of 1.47. It was observed a high degree of polyphytophagy over 51 host plants belonging in 28 families. The biotic potential was estimated on 8.719.556 individuals in the weak

Biologia e aspectos morfológicos dos estágios imaturos de Automeris naranja Schaus (Lepidoptera, Saturniidae, Hemileucinae)

Este estudo objetivou estudar a biologia e aspectos da morfologia dos estagios imaturos de Automeris naranja Schaus, 1898, um hemileucineo polifitofago cujas lagartas podem provocar erucismo. Os parâmetros biologicos foram obtidos em condicoes controladas: temperatura, 25 ± 1°C; Umidade Relativa, 70 ± 10% de UR e fotofase, 14 horas, com observacoes diarias. Foram avaliados, em cada fase de desenvolvimento, aspectos morfologicos e etologicos, duracao e viabilidade. Para relacionar as plantas hospedeiras foram reunidos dados ja referidos em bibliografia e de material coletado em campo. O ciclo de vida foi de 128 dias, cujos periodos medios das fases de ovo, lagarta, pupa e adulta foram de 14,89; 69,00; 35,19 e 7,61, respectivamente. As lagartas passaram por seis instares e tiveram uma razao media de crescimento de 1,46. Observou-se um alto grau de polifitofagia sendo relacionadas 61 plantas hospedeiras pertencentes a 26 familias. O potencial biotico foi estimado em 1195606,994 individuos ao ano.

Bionomy of Anicla mahalpa Schaus, 1898 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae), in the laboratory

The genus Anicla Grote, 1874 is composed of eleven species; their larvae are harmful, mainly to native and cultivated grasses, but up to now, there is information available of only two species. This study aims at detailing the bionomy of A. mahalpa Schaus; the data were obtained from a laboratory rearing under the following settings: 20 +/- 2 masculineC, 70 +/- 10% relative humidity and 12 hours of photoperiod. Larvae were fed on ryegrass, Lolium multiflorum Lam. (Poaceae). The results expressed by the mean and respective standard error for the periods of each phase, in days, were the following: egg 6.00 +/- 0.00, larva 36.47 +/- 0.44, pre-pupa 5.23 +/- 0.21, pupa 23.60 +/- 0.37, and adult: longevity 15.24 +/- 0.75 with pre-egg-laying-periods of 5.29 +/- 0.32; egg-laying period, 9.64 +/- 0.81, and post-egg-laying period, 0.71 +/- 0.27 days. The mean number of egg-laying cycles per female was 7.36 +/- 0.20 and 2,014.21 +/- 78.93 eggs per female. Eggs, which are subspheric, have a diameter of 0.76 +/- 0.01 mm; larvae passed through six instars; their head capsules width, provided a mean ratio of growth of 1.482. Pupae presented a mean width and length of 6.07 +/- 0.06 and 17.24 +/- 0.19 mm, respectively and weight of 0.33 +/- 0.01 g.

Biology and morphology of Molippa cruenta (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) in the laboratory

The goal of this contribution was to study the biology and morphology of all developmental stages of Molippa cruenta (Walker, 1855), a member of Hemileucinae (Saturniidae), endemic to southern Brazil and northeastern Argentina. Daily observations were carried out on individuals reared under controlled temperature (25 ± 1oC), relative humidity (70 ± 10%) and photophase (14 hours of light). The duration and viability of each developmental phase, as well as morphological and behavioral aspects of each stage, were evaluated. Under laboratory conditions, the life-cycle of M. cruenta was completed in 150 days, with mean periods for egg, larva, pupa and adult phases being 35, 71.95, 37.85, 19.17 and 4.81 days, respectively. The larval phase included six instars, with an average growth rate of 1.46. The study of the immature stages of M. cruenta revealed several morphological characteristics that are distinct from other species of the genus, highlighting the importance of these stages for taxonomic and phylogenetic studies.

Aspects of the biology and morphology of Dirphia dolosa Bouvier, 1929 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae: Hemileucinae)

Dirphia dolosa Bouvier, 1929 is an endemic moth from southern Brazil, with available information restricted to occurrence data, natural host plant and adult morphology. This study describes bionomic peculiarities of this species, obtained from observations of larval aggregations in the field and in the laboratory. Data on all developmental stages are presented and compared with those of other Hemileucinae. D. dolosa present a facultative pupal diapause and may have two generations per year under the climatic conditions of the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil.

Biology and life table of Dirphia araucariae (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae): a herbivore of potentially high impact on Araucaria angustifolia

The life-history and biology of Dirphia araucariae Jones, 1908, including its life fertility table, are here described. Moths were reared in the laboratory under controlled conditions on their host plant, Araucaria angustifolia (Bertoloni) O. Kuntze - Araucariaceae. We describe several life-history traits of the species, namely: developmental period, survival rate, growth rate, fertility, fecundity, sex ratio, cephalic capsule width, and pupal weight. Mean duration of life stages were: egg = 26.78 days; larva = 61.78 days; prepupa = 6.85 days; pupa = 62.46 days; adult = 8.37 days. We found statistically significant differences between sexes for adult, larval and pupal stage duration; larval stage was longer in females while pupal stage was longer in males. The survival rate of each life stage was: egg = 96.18%; larva = 95.38%; prepupa = 83.87%; pupa = 100%. The larvae developed through six instars and the mean growth rate was 1.418. The width of male and female cephalic capsules were different in last three instars, even though the total mean width between sexes was not different. Pupal mean weight ranged from 2.40 g to 4.79 g, with females being heavier than males. Fertility ranged from 66.78% to 100%, and the total fecundity was 358.45 eggs/female, including both laid eggs and eggs held in the abdomen. The sex ratio was 0.50 ± 0.05. The estimated biotic potential was 48731.08 specimens/female/year. We found the following values for the fertility life table: (Ro) = 117.21 females; (T) = 162.75 days; (rm) = 0.21; (l) = 1.23. Considering the biological parameters evaluated in this study, we conclude that D. araucariae is not able to cause primary damage in A. angustifolia forests, although further studies are needed to understand the reasons for occasional population outbreaks.