Biology Of Some Oxycarenus Species (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) In Southern Ghana

KWAME ADU-MENSAH 187 PAGES (85084 WORDS) Zoology Thesis

A B S T R A C T

The b io lo g y o f th r e e s p e c ie s o f Oxycarenus found in

Southern Ghana has been s tu d ied . T h e i r h o s t p la n t s are

l i s t e d and host p r e fe r en c e s examined. The sea sonal p opula t

io n changes o f two s p e c ie s have been fo l low e d . The n a tu ra l

enemies and d e fen s iv e mechanisms have been s tu d ie d . A

d e t a i l e d d e s c r ip t io n o f the immature s ta g e s o f the th r e e

Oxycarenus sp e c ie s has been g iv en f o r th e f i r s t time and keys

furnished to d is t in g u is h a l l the l a r v a l s ta g e s as w e l l as the

adu l ts . Growth p a t te rn s were s tu d ied and the r e la t io n s h ip

between measurements o f su c c e s s iv e in s t a r s i s d is cu s s ed .