Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
ABSTRACT
The effects of cadmium on larva, pupa and adult at emergence of the blowfly Chrysomya albiceps were determined. First-instar larvae of the blowfly Chrysomya albiceps were reared on media containing various concentrations of cadmium (0, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 ىg/g), all based on dry weight. Development time, mortality, pupal and adult weights were determined. Larval development time of both sexes was extended with increasing cadmium concentrations, while pupal development time was not affected. Male total development time was longer than that of females at all cadmium concentrations and also in the controls. The percentage larval, pupal and total mortality increased with increasing cadmium concentrations, accompanied by losses in pupal and adult body weight. Adult weight of females was higher than that of males. Larval stages were more sensitive to cadmium than pupae. Effects of cadmium on larval and pupal stages of males were similar to that of females.
All stages of Chrysomya albiceps studied in the present study were affected by increasing cadmium concentrations.
Keywords: cadmium; Chrysomya albiceps; development time; mortality; weight