Monday, 27 October 2003
D0180

This presentation is part of : Display Presentations, Section B. Physiology, Biochemistry, Toxicology, and Molecular Biology

Evaluation of water balance in female German cockroaches (Blattella germanica L.) and their ootheca under different relative humidity's using tritiated water

Donald E. Mullins, K. June Mullins, and Sandra E Gabbert. VA Tech, Entomology Department, 319 Price Hall, Blacksburg, VA

Abstract:

Females carrying either 0 to 1 day old egg cases or 14 day old egg cases were injected with tritiated water and held at rigid relative humidity regimes (30, 50 and 70 percent). The amount of (tritiated) water contained in the females and their egg cases were examined after 24, 72 and 168 hour intervals. The results from these experiments indicate that water deprived females retained more tritiated water than those having access to water. In addition, the water deprived females held at the lower humidity's (30 and 50 %) transferred more (tritiated) water into their egg cases. It appears that females are able to regulate their body water balance and contribute to water balance of the egg case that they are carrying.



Species 1: Blattodea Blattellidae Blattella germanica (german cockroach)
Keywords: Water balance, relative humidity

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