The Effect Of Fish Moisture Content On Oviposition, Fecundity And Development Of The Hide Beetle, Dermestes Maculatus Degeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)

Abstract

Oviposition, fecundity and development of Dermestes maculatus in Clarias ebriensis with different moisture contents (14%, 36%, 41%, 56%, 66%, 73%, 77%) were investigated from January to April, 2003. Catfish of different moisture content and a pair of male and female D. maculatus constituted a treatment and each of the seven treatments was replicated thrice. The treatment with fish of 14% moisture content served as the control. Generally, the pre-oviposition period, egg incubation period, oviposition peak, percentage number of eggs hatching to larvae, duration of larval emergence, larval developmental period and duration of pupal emergence were all moisture-dependent. At 290 C and 58% RH, fecundity ranged from 54-598 eggs. The eggs measured 3.38±0.44 mm in length. The larvae had five larval instars which measured 328±0.71, 6.06±0.82, 8.04±0.75, 10.83±0.97 and 13.0±0.29 mm in length respectively. Larval developmental period was 16-23 days and larvae fed voraciously and bored into the flesh and head capsule of fish. Pupae measured 7.65±0.29 mm in length and adults emerged from
> 50% of pupae in all treatments. Total developmental periodwas 59 days.

Keywords: Dermestes maculatus, Oviposition, Fecundity, Development, Clarias ebriensis, Moisture content

Animal Research International Vol. 1 (1) 2004: pp. 47-51