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Full-Text Articles in Entomology
Hide And Seek: An Exploration Of Antipredator And Predator Avoidance Mechanisms In Orthopodomyia Signifera In Response To Predation From Toxorhynchites Rutilus, Nathaniel Dahlberg
Hide And Seek: An Exploration Of Antipredator And Predator Avoidance Mechanisms In Orthopodomyia Signifera In Response To Predation From Toxorhynchites Rutilus, Nathaniel Dahlberg
Master's Theses
There have been many observations of larval Orthopodomyia signifera coexisting with the predator Toxorhynchites rutilus. There are three hypotheses that could explain how Or. signifera resists predation from Tx. rutilus. The first hypothesis states that larvae adapt behavioral changes that limit predation. The second hypothesis states thoracic setae serve as a physical defense that prevents Tx. rutilus from grasping Or. signifera. The third hypothesis states Or. signifera possess a chemical defense indicated by aposematic coloration. To test the first hypothesis larval Or. signifera were exposed to conspecific and heterospecific predation cues and their behavior was observed. Both cues …
Disturbance Ecology Of The Sonadora River Rock Pool Insect Assemblage At Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, Patrick Gilkey
Disturbance Ecology Of The Sonadora River Rock Pool Insect Assemblage At Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, Patrick Gilkey
Master's Theses
Freshwater rock pools can serve as habitat for aquatic insects. Flash-flooding can have profound effects on insect communities in streams and rivers, but these effects have not been studied on freshwater rock pools. The goal of this thesis was to describe ecological patterns of the Sonadora River rock pool insect community at the Luquillo Experiment Forrest, Puerto Rico, specifically in response to intense flash-flooding, and then perform experiments to elucidate possible processes to explain those patterns. The rock pools contained primarily three taxa of Dipteran (true-fly) larvae, in order of decreasing abundance, 1) a newly discovered species of ceratopogonid (biting …
Investigation Of Dna Variability And Phylogenetic Relationships Of Perlesta (Plecoptera: Perlidae) In Mississippi, James C. Valentine, Mac H. Alford
Investigation Of Dna Variability And Phylogenetic Relationships Of Perlesta (Plecoptera: Perlidae) In Mississippi, James C. Valentine, Mac H. Alford
Master's Theses
The genus Perlesta Banks, 1906 (Plecoptera: Perlidae) consists of 35 species, 33 native to the United States and Canada and two native to China. For over a century these small, brown stonefly adults and freckled yellow nymphs have gone by the name of the type species of the genus, Perlesta placida, but taxonomic work in the genus since 1989 has resulted in the recognition of additional species. These species were mostly recognized and described using morphological characteristics, but two areas that are lacking include (1) linking nymphs to adults and (2) phylogenetic analysis of all species occurring in Mississippi …
Do Mosquito Pesticides Harm Their Natural Enemies? Ecological Impacts And Non-Target Effects Of Larvicides On Mosquito Predators, Joseph Nelsen
Do Mosquito Pesticides Harm Their Natural Enemies? Ecological Impacts And Non-Target Effects Of Larvicides On Mosquito Predators, Joseph Nelsen
Master's Theses
Larvicides are chemicals used to kill juvenile mosquitoes. When applied to an area, other aquatic organisms are exposed to these chemicals. The removal or impairment of top insect predators could be beneficial to mosquito populations once harmful pesticide levels dissipate. Two common larvicides were examined: growth regulators (IGRs) and surface films (SFs). The goal of this project was to determine if larvicides harm mosquito predators common to southern Mississippi. I surveyed aquatic sites before and after IGR and SF treatments, and then compared changes in insect community structure. Community evenness was lower in SF treated habitats. When analyzing prey taxa …
Environmental Impacts And Carry-Over Effects In Complex Life Cycles: The Role Of Different Life History Stages, Nnaemeka F. Ezeakacha
Environmental Impacts And Carry-Over Effects In Complex Life Cycles: The Role Of Different Life History Stages, Nnaemeka F. Ezeakacha
Dissertations
A challenge faced by organisms with complex life cycles is how environmental factors experienced at an earlier life stage affect the fitness at that stage or are carried over to subsequent life stages. I used container-inhabiting mosquitoes: Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti, Aedes triseriatus and Culex quinquefasciatus to study the interactions and performance of life history stages under specific environmental factors. I investigated the effects of egg-desiccation tolerance on egg viability and larval performance in the Aedes mosquitoes. I found increase in egg hatch rate with relative humidity and interaction between relative humidity and egg storage period. Larval performance …