Abstract:

The growth, development and reproduction of Trichophysetis cretacea (Butler) were studied at five temperatures (19℃, 23℃, 27℃, 31℃, and 35℃) in the laboratory. The results showed that the developmental rate of Trichophysetis cretacea increased with the rise of temperature from 19℃ to 31℃, and varied slightly at higher temperatures. The pupal stage was most sensitive to temperature change compared with other developmental stages, and all pupae died at 35℃. The generation survival rate was 87.1%, 83.0%, 85.2%, 70.1%, and 0% at above five temperatures respectively. The developmental threshold temperature required for egg, larva, prepupa, pupa and egg-adult was 9.08℃, 8.95℃, 7.80℃, 9.09℃, and 8.86℃, while the effective accumulated temperature was 62.4, 122.0, 16.0, 108.1, and 309.1 degree-day, respectively. Adult longevity shortened with the temperature increasing. The number of eggs laid per female was highest (91.3) at 27℃. At the temperatures of 19℃, 23℃，27℃, and 31℃, the net reproductive rate (R₀) of the laboratory population was 31.0, 41.8, 46.7, and 0.8, the intrinsic rate of natural increase (r_m) was 0.0813, 0.1439, 0.1710, and -0.0094, and the mean generation time was 42.2, 26.3, 23.1,  and 19.2 days, respectively.

Key words: Trichophysetis cretacea, developmental threshold temperature, effective accumulated temperature, developmental rate, survival rate, adult longevity, fecundity, population parameters