Prevalence, Distribution And The Biology Of An Endoparasitoid Fly, Verticia fasciventris (Diptera: Calliphoridae), And The Physiological And Behavioural Changes In Its Host, Macrotermes carbonarius (Blattodea: Termitidae)
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Date
2018-04
Authors
To, Thi Mai Duyen
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This thesis focuses on prevalence, distribution and the biology of an endoparasitoid fly, Verticia fasciventris Malloch (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and the physiological and behavioural changes in its host Macrotermes carbonarius (Hagen) (Blattodae: Termitidae). The development of V. fasciventris larvae could be divided into three instar stages. The larva completed their first and second instar in the head capsule of M. carbonarius pre-soldier and soldiers, respectively, while the third instar undergoes part of its development inside the head of soldiers and subsequently exit the host body as free living larva. The mean time of pupation of V. fasciventris was 13 days. The size of parasitoid females was significantly smaller (P < 0.05) than that of males. The survival rate of females was significant higher (P < 0.05) than that of males. A survey of the infestation rate of M. carbonarius colonies by V. fasciventris was conducted in Penang Island, Malaysia from April 2015 to April 2016. Of the 313 M. carbonarius mounds examined, 105 (33.5%) were infested with V. fasciventris. The degree of parasitism was low with an average of 42.7 ± 12.9 parasitized M. carbonarius soldiers. At all surveyed sites, parasitized colonies were classified as healthy. The mound size of parasitized mounds was significantly larger than that of unparasitized mounds. The ambient light intensity of parasitized mounds was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that of unparasitized mounds. Parasitization by V. fasciventris resulted in the physiological changes in its M. carbonarius host. The water balance profile of both parasitized and unparasitized major soldiers was examined. Parasitized major soldiers showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower initial body mass, percentage of total body water content, cuticular permeability, but higher ratio of surface area to body volume in comparison to unparasitized major soldiers.
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Keywords
Prevalence, distribution and the biology of an endoparasitoid fly , behavioural changes in its host Macrotermes carbonarius