Life cycle and Biology of Graphium agamemnon (Tailed jay) on  Polyalthia longifolia (sonn.)

Ella  Rao K; Ravi  Shankar UV; Ashok P; Atluri  JB

Ella Rao K JVD College of Science and Technology, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India- 530003
Ravi Shankar UV JVD College of Science and Technology, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India- 530003
Ashok P JVD College of Science and Technology, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India- 530003
Atluri JB JVD College of Science and Technology, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India- 530003

Abstract

The Papilionidae butterfly Graphium agamemnon (Tailed jay) larval performance and life cycle was studied at Andhra University campus, Visakhapatnam. The leaves of Polyalthis longifolia were used in the study of larval growth as host and in laboratory and in natural conditions for morphological and behavioral characters. The life cycle was finished in 4-5 weeks, with egg hatching 3 days, larvae 14-21days, and pupae 11-13 days. The values of consumption index, growth rate and approximate digestibility across the instars decreased as the larvae aged. The average values of the consumption index and growth rate are 0.25-21.54 and 0.5-0.15 respectively, and that of approximate digestibility is 51.86 - 97.76. But, the values of both competence of conversion of digested food and competence of conversion of ingested food are either increased or decreased from instar to instar was observed.

Keywords: Life history, Papilionidae, Graphium agamemnon, Instars, Food utilization indices

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