Studies on the influence of host plants and effect of chemical stimulants on the feeding behavior in the muga silkworm, Antheraea assamensis

The feeding habits of Antheraea assamensis, Helfer (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) larvae towards the leaves of its four different host plants, Persea bombycina King ex. Hook (Laurales: Lauraceae), Litsea polhantha Jussieu, L. salicifolia Roxburgh ex. Nees and L. citrata Blume, and the chemical basis of feeding preference were investigated. Nutritional superiority of young and medium leaves with respect to soluble protein, total phenol and phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity was observed in the leaves of P. bombycina compared to other host plants. Attraction and feeding tests with detached leaves and artificial diet with different chemical stimulants revealed that a mixture of the flavonoids, myrcetin, and 7, 2’, 4’ trimethoxy dihydroxy flavone with sterol compound β-sitosterol elicited the most biting behavior by A. assamensis larvae. While linalyl acetate alone attracted larvae towards the leaves of the host plants, a mixture of caryophyllene, decyl aldehyde and dodecyl aldehyde was found to both attract them to the host leaves and cause biting behavior. Azaindole was found to deter them from the host plants

Studies on the influence of host plants and effect of chemical stimulants on the feeding behavior in the muga silkworm, Antheraea assamensis

The feeding habits of Antheraea assamensis, Helfer (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) larvae towards the leaves of its four different host plants, Persea bombycina King ex. Hook (Laurales: Lauraceae), Litsea polhantha Jussieu, L. salicifolia Roxburgh ex. Nees and L. citrata Blume, and the chemical basis of feeding preference were investigated. Nutritional superiority of young and medium leaves with respect to soluble protein, total phenol and phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity was observed in the leaves of P. bombycina compared to other host plants. Attraction and feeding tests with detached leaves and artificial diet with different chemical stimulants revealed that a mixture of the flavonoids, myrcetin, and 7, 2’, 4’ trimethoxy dihydroxy flavone with sterol compound β-sitosterol elicited the most biting behavior by A. assamensis larvae. While linalyl acetate alone attracted larvae towards the leaves of the host plants, a mixture of caryophyllene, decyl aldehyde and dodecyl aldehyde was found to both attract them to the host leaves and cause biting behavior. Azaindole was found to deter them from the host plants

First report of Cotesia dictyoplocae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a larval parasitoid of Antheraea assamensis (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), from India

Not AvailableA gregarious larval parasitoid, Cotesia dictyoplocae (Watanabe) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae), is reported for the first time from the host Antheraea assamensis Helfer (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) from Assam, India. This wasp is a gregarious larval parasitoid and produces on an average 30 cocoons per host larva. Parasitized larvae are easily identified by the aggregation of exposed yellowish white cocoons on the body. Larval parasitism in natural conditions was low. Removal of parasitized larvae by hand is suggested.Not Availabl

A pictorial overview of the methodologies used for sequencing and analysis of <i>A</i>. <i>assamensis</i> mitogenome.

<p>A pictorial overview of the methodologies used for sequencing and analysis of <i>A</i>. <i>assamensis</i> mitogenome.</p

<i>A</i>. <i>assamensis</i> mitochondrial genome.

<p><b>(A) Circular map (B) Characteristic features of the mitogenome.</b><i>tRNAs</i> are represented as <i>trn</i> followed by the IUPAC-IUB single letter amino acid codes e.g. <i>trnM</i> denote <i>tRNA</i>^<i>Met</i>. IGN represents (+) values as intergenic nucleotides and (-) values as overlapping regions.</p

Codon usage in <i>A</i>. <i>assamensis</i> mitogenome.

<p><b>(A) Codon distribution where CDspT = codons per thousand codons (B) Relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU).</b> Termination codons were excluded in the study.</p

List of species considered for comparative mitogenome study.

<p>(Highlighted ones are the organisms of Bombycoidea superfamily used for comparative mitogenome analysis with respect to <i>A</i>. <i>assamensis</i>).</p

Evolutionary rates (Ka/Ks) of individual PCG of <i>A</i>. <i>assamensis</i> with selected species.

<p>w.r.t. here denotes with reference to-.</p