Term of Award

Spring 1997

Degree Name

Master of Science in Biology

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)

Department

Department of Biology

Committee Chair

Frank E. French

Committee Member 1

Daniel V. Hagan

Committee Member 2

William S. Irby

Committee Member 3

Oscar J. Pung

Abstract

Chrysops brimleyi and Hybomitra difficilis are the two most commonly captured tabanid flies in and around Statesboro, GA during April, but are seldom trapped in March or May. Both species of flies were captured concurrently from 1990-95. Adult females of both species were processed and spiroplasma carriage (prevalence) was determined. Spiroplasma cultures were screened by deformation tests using a series of polyvalent antisera for groups and subgroups of spiroplasma known to be associated with tabanids Both the percent carriage and the species of spiroplasmas carried by the two tabanids were different. Chrysops brimleyi, a small deer fly, had a visceral infection prevalence of 31% and carried mostly group VIII spiroplasmas (13/16) represented by: S. chrysopicola (4/16), S. syrphidicola (2/16); and B1357 (7/16). Group XXXV, strain B2649, represented 12.5% (2/16) and group IV, S. apis, represented 6.2% (1/16) of the spiroplasmas from this host. Hybomitra difficilis, a larger horse fly, had an infection rate of 43% (32/34). Three spiroplasmas were isolated from H. difficilis: groups XIV, S. corrusci (22/34); IV, S. apis (10/34); and XXXIII, S. tabanidicola (1/34). Group IV, S. apis, was the only spiroplasma species found in both H. difficilis (29.4%) and C. brimleyi (6.2%).

OCLC Number

1029736482

Copyright

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