Abstract
Aspidiotiphagus citrinus CRAW is a dominant parasite of Unaspis yanonensis (KUWANA) in Japan. In this paper the author reports on the studies related to the effect of age in days, after the emergence of the parasite, upon the number of mature ovarian eggs and the number of eggs laid. All experiments were carried out at the temperature of 25°C. A. citrinus is a pro-ovigenic species. The mature ovarian eggs per female numbered approximately 32 at the day of emergence. The newly emerged parasites were reared with the supply of honey and were dissected every day to count the number of mature ovarian eggs. The egg number exhibited a peak on the second day after emergence. Thereafter the eggs were absorbed. Daily rate of oviposition was examined by counting the number of eggs laid in about 20 host scales, second stage larvae of Aonidiella taxus LEONARDI, exposed to a single parasite every day. The newly emerged parasite laid 68 eggs until the parasite died. But the number of eggs laid by [the parasite from 4 and 8 days] old after emergence was 14 and 3, respectively. Thus the oviposition of the parasite is greatly influenced by its age.
