NUTRITIONAL STUDIES WITHPSEUDOSARCOPHAGA AFFINIS(FALL), A DIPTEROUS PARASITE OF THE SPRUCE BUDWORM,CHORISTONEURA FUMIFERANA(CLEM.): II. EFFECTS OF ELEVEN VITAMINS ON GROWTH

Abstract

When the parasitic dipteron Pseudosarcophaga affinis (Fall.) was reared aseptically on chemically defined media; thiamine, riboflavin, calcium pantothenate, nicotinic acid, choline chloride, and biotin were essential for larval growth and development, but not vitamin B₁₂, pyridoxine, folic acid, para-aminobenzoic acid, or inositol. Vitamin B₁₂had a slight beneficial effect on pupation, whereas the omission of para-aminobenzoic acid had a slight stimulatory effect on growth and development. The responses of larvae to deficiencies of different vitamins reached a decisive point at different stages of larval development.