Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1973 Some Biological Implications of Polymorphism in the Bean Leaf Beetle, Cerotoma Trifurcata (Forster). Donald Charles Herzog Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Herzog, Donald Charles, "Some Biological Implications of Polymorphism in the Bean Leaf Beetle, Cerotoma Trifurcata (Forster)." (1973). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 2398. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/2398 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 HERZOG s Donald Charles, 1944- SOME BIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF POLYMORPHISM IN THE BEAN LEAF BEETLE, CEROTOMA TRIFURCATA (FORSTER). The Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1973 Entomology University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. Some Biological Implications of Polymorphism in the Bean Leaf Beetle, Cerotoma trifurcata (F o rste r ). A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Entomology by Donald Charles Herzog B.S., Texas Technological College, 1966 M.S., Louisiana State University, 1968 May, 1973 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to express his sincere gratitude to Dr. L. D. Newsom, Head of the Department of Entomology and Major Professor, who directed the writer’s doctoral research. His contributions of time, advice and constructive criticisms were invaluable in the course of these investigations and in the preparation of this manuscript. Sincere thanks are also due to the members of the writer's advi­ sory committee composed of Drs. H. B. Boudreaux, D. F. Clower, J. B. Graves and S. D. Hensley of the Department of Entomology, Dr. K. L. Koonce of the Department of Experimental Statistics, and Dr. W. L. French of the Department of Zoology for their advice and criticism s. Further gratitude is expressed to Drs. Koonce and Graves for their assistance in the statistical analysis of data. Grateful acknowledgement is made to the Messrs. Lawerence, Ernest, Francis and Antonio Richard of St. Landry Parish for their consideration in allowing collections of bean leaf beetles on their land. The author is indebted to Dr. R. L. Jensen, Assistant Professor, and Mr. J. W. Thomas, Jr., Research Associate, of the Department of Entomology for their able assistance in field collections. Very special thanks are due the w rite r's wife, Sandra, for typing the first draft of this manuscript and without whose endless patience, constant support and encouragement this dissertation could never have been completed. Finally, the author would like to thank Miss Mary Weber for typing the final draft of this manuscript. i i i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................. i i TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................................iv LIST OF T A B L E S ....................................................................................................v ii LIST OF F I G U R E S .......................................................................................................xi ABSTRACT ........... x i i i INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................1 LITERATURE REVIEW . 2 Bean Leaf Beetle ........ 2 Background and History ...... 2 Distribution ........ 2 Economic Importance ...... 3 Rearing ......... 4 Parasitism ........ 5 Insecticide Resistance ...... 6 Polymorphism ........ 7 Mimicry ......... 10 Current Research ....... 10 Polymorphism . 1 1 Seasonal Variability ...... 12 Geographic Polymorphism ..... 13 Sexual Dimorphism ....... 14 Sexual Selection and Assortive Mating . 16 iv Page Size and Structure ...... 16 Sex Determination ....... 17 METHODS AND MATERIALS ................................................................................. 18 Color and Marking Pattern Variations .... 18 Bean Leaf Beetle Collections ..... 18 Rearing Technique ........ 19 Weight Determination ....... 23 Insecticide Study ........ 24 Temperature Tolerance Studies ..... 25 Parasitism ......... 27 Statistical Analyses ....... 28 Symbols and Abbreviations ...... 29 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ................................................................................. 31 Laboratory Rearing ....... 31 Egg Storage ........ 31 Larval Food Source . 31 Matxng ......... 22 Adult Life History ...... 38 Longevity ........ 50 Egg Production ....... 56 Weight Determination ....... 71 Susceptibility to Methyl Parathion .... 75 Parasitism . • .75 v Page Temperature Tolerance . * . 79 Biological Implications .... 107 Miscellaneous Observations on Factors Concerning Bean Leaf Beetle Abundance 108 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................. 110 LITERATURE CITED ..................................................................... 112 APPENDIX .......................................................................................... 119 VITA ......... 176 v i LIST OF TABLES Page 1. Dates of installation and number of bean leaf beetles included in replicated temperature tolerance studies. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1972. ..... 26 2. Total number of females, number and per cent reproductive females obtained in a bean leaf beetle laboratory-rearing program. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1970-71. ......... 34 3. Proportions of pairings resulting in mating for female and male laboratory-reared bean leaf beetles. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1970-71. ..... 35 4. Proportions of bean leaf beetle pairings by color and by marking pattern resulting in mating. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1970-71. ..... 36 5. Mean number of males required before impregnation of laboratory-reared female bean leaf beetles was achieved. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1970-71. 39 6. Mean duration of preoviposit ion, oviposit ion, and postoviposition periods of laboratory-reared bean leaf beetles. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1970-71. 40 7. Proportion of laboratory-reared female bean leaf beetle life cycle spent in preoviposit ion, oviposition, and postoviposit ion periods. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1 9 7 0 - 7 1 . ............................................................................................. 44 8. Oviposition initiation, oviposition cessation, and mortality of laboratory-reared bean leaf beetles. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1970-71. .... 46 9. Mean longevity of reproductive and nonreproductive laboratory-reared female bean leaf beetles. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1970-71. ..... 51 10. Comparative mortality of reproductive and non- reproductive laboratory-reared bean leaf beetles. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1970-71. 55 11. Mean number of egg-laying days/female and the proportion of the oviposition period in which eggs were laid by laboratory-reared bean leaf beetles. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1970-71. ....... 57 v i i Page 12. Mean egg production of laboratory-reared bean leaf beetles.