ovoviviparity

[Doug Yanega]

Doug Dawn wrote:
>Since typically the many egg strategy is pursued for propogation, I would guess
>that the eggs with shortest cycle time are of those species with the "best"
>nutrition, which undoubtable could reduce developmental time, all else
>equal.  One
>candidate for shortest cycle time might be Feniseca tarquinius, a species that
>occurs in North America and is commonly known as the "Harvester" because
>it eats
>aphids (as a caterpillar).  I believe the larva emerge from the deposited
>eggs in
>three days.

Myself, I would put my money on the Epipyropid moths, if any group was
going to larviposit instead of laying eggs, since the larvae live as
ectoparasites on planthoppers. However, I don't recall that any of them are
known to larviposit, so I suspect there may not be documented ovoviviparity
in leps.

Just thinking out loud,

Doug Yanega    Depto. de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas,
Univ. Fed. de Minas Gerais, Cx.P. 486, 30.161-970 Belo Horizonte, MG   BRAZIL
phone: 031-449-2579, fax: 031-441-5481  (from U.S., prefix 011-55)
                  http://www.icb.ufmg.br/~dyanega/
  "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
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