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The Behaviour of Larvae of Culicoides circumscriptus Kieff. (Dipt., Ceratopogonidae) towards Light Stimuli as influenced by Feeding, with Observations on the Feeding Habits

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

P. Becker
P. Becker
Affiliation:
Zoology Department, University of Glasgow.
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Extract

The larvae of Culicoides circumscriptus Kieff. are mostly negatively phototactic when extracted from mud and placed in water. Experiments show, however, that if kept without food over a period of time a large proportion becomes positively phototactic. The provision of food causes them to revert to a photonegative taxis which may be permanent as long as suitable food is given, or temporary if the food does not satisfy their nutritional requirements. On the other hand, the provision of a completely non-nutritive medium does not bring about such a reversion. The significance of this behaviour is discussed in the light of the habits of the larvae in the field.

Most of the experiments were carried out with batches of fourth-instar larvae, but in a few, third-instar larvae and fourth-instar larvae near to pupation were used. From the results it is suggested that the processes of ecdysis and pupation may bring about a reversal from photonegative to photopositive taxis independent of the need for food.

The significance of the behaviour of the larvae towards light stimuli is discussed in relation to their habits in the field. It is assumed that its function is to maintain the larvae on the surface of the mud while feeding and to drive them below when they have fed, and that some other type of tropism must initially drive them to the surface or keep them below according to their nutritional needs.

It is shown that the behaviour towards light stimuli of the larvae of C. maritimus Kieff. differs somewhat from that of C. circumscriptus and reasons are suggested for this.

A second series of experiments designed to throw some light on the food requirements of the larvae is described. In a discussion on the results of these it is shown that the larvae feed on material both on the surface of the mud and below the surface, and it is suggested that larvae which have fed on sub-surface food become positively phototactic when they require food from the surface and, having fed there, revert to photonegative behaviour. If, however, photopositive larvae have not previously had the opportunity to feed on sub-surface material they continue to act as completely starved larvae and remain photopositive in spite of their having fed on surface material.

The detailed constituents of the larval diet have not been worked out. The larvae appear to be detritus feeders, feeding mainly on vegetable matter and bacteria obtained on or below the surface of the mud, though green algae are not an important part of their diet. They are carnivorous on occasion but are normally not so when other food is readily available. They are selective in their choice of food and at least three factors, sapidity, texture and the size of particles, appear to influence this selection.

Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 49 , Issue 4 , December 1958 , pp. 785 - 802
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1958

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