Growth and development of captive-reared Mercury Islands tusked weta,Motuweta isolataJohns (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae)
| Autor: | Chris J. Winks, Ian Stringer, Hamish J. Mack, Elizabeth A. Grant |
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| Rok vydání: | 2006 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | New Zealand Entomologist. 29:5-19 |
| ISSN: | 1179-3430 0077-9962 |
| Popis: | The Mercury Islands tusked weta, Motuweta isolata (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae), occurs naturally only on Middle Island, a 13 ha island in the Mercury Island group, New Zealand. Growth and development were studied to support a conservation programme to establish them on two other islands and thereby reduce chances of accidental extinction. The egg incubation period was determined from 784 eggs laid by eight weta (range 6-275 eggs per female) exposed to varying temperature similar to Middle Island. Most eggs (240) hatched after 12-39 weeks but 17 eggs laid in late winter hatched after 48-63 weeks. Overall, 87% hatched between October and December, and all hatched between August and February. Egg mortality was 67% (range 50-100% for individual females). Growth and postembryonic development was observed in the laboratory at 16-18°C, and a 14 : 8 h (light : dark) photoperiod. Males and females became adult at either the 10th or 11th instar. Lengths of the head, head with jaws, pronotum, protibia, tympanal me... |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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