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A method for determining the age of very young tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) and an investigation of the factors determining head fluorescent levels in newly emerged adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Atway Msangi
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, UK
M.J. Lehane*
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, UK
*
M.J. Lehane, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK.

Abstract

The new age determination technique for tsetse flies based on the accumulation of fluorescent pigments in the head capsule has the minor problem that it is not possible to accurately identify very young flies. In this paper we describe a technique for the identification of very young Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood based on their high levels of abdominal fluorescence. Under our holding conditions these fall back in a linear fashion to a minimum at five days post-emergence. The variability in the levels of head fluorescence at eclosion is mainly influenced by the size of the emerging fly, with the number of blood meals taken by the female parent, and intra-uterine larval and puparial periods of the emerging flies also playing a part.

Type
Research Paper
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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