Nervous system control of western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, WCR) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) oviposition was studied using decapitation. Gravid females (n = 364) were decapitated with scissors and floated in water‐filled Petri dishes. Oviposition by individuals was observed at 30 min intervals for 4 hr after decapitation; cumulative oviposition was tallied at 48 hr post‐treatment. Overall, 82.7% of females laid eggs within 48 hr. Oviposition commenced quickly; 78.4% of females laid eggs during the observation period, 81.8% of these began egg laying within 30 min of decapitation. Egg‐laying females deposited a total of 66.8 ± 2.1 eggs (mean ± SEM); this was 85.1% of the total mature egg load. Dissection revealed that 31.9% of n = 301 laying females and 14.3% of 63 non‐laying females had a rupture of the common oviduct, manifest as an egg‐filled hernia containing a mean of 8.17 ± 1.3 eggs (range: 1–83). Among n = 237 females that laid eggs during observations, females with hernias laid significantly fewer eggs (35.8 ± 4.2) than intact females (48.0 ± 2.7) during the 4‐hr interval. There was no difference in the mean proportion of hatch for eggs collected from the same n = 10 females before (0.88 ± 0.03) or after decapitation (0.84 ± 0.04). Rapid oviposition following decapitation suggests that WCR egg laying is under constant descending neural inhibition; the motor programme controlling egg laying must reside posterior to the head. Decapitation can be used to quickly collect mature, fertilized WCR eggs.

中文翻译：

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西部玉米根虫（Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte）（鞘翅目：Chrysomelidae）产卵可通过斩首释放

使用斩首研究了西部玉米根虫（Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte，WCR）（鞘翅目：Chrysomelidae）产卵的神经系统控制。妊娠雌性（n = 364）用剪刀斩首并漂浮在充满水的培养皿中。断头后 4 小时内以 30 分钟的间隔观察个体的产卵；在治疗后 48 小时记录累积排卵。总体而言，82.7% 的雌性在 48 小时内产卵。产卵很快开始；78.4% 的雌性在观察期间产卵，其中 81.8% 的雌性在断头后 30 分钟内开始产卵。产卵雌性共产卵 66.8 ± 2.1 个（平均值 ± SEM）；这是总成熟卵子负荷的 85.1%。解剖显示，n = 301 名产卵雌性中的 31.9% 和 63 名非产卵雌性中的 14.3% 有共同输卵管破裂，表现为充满卵的疝气，平均含有 8.17 ± 1.3 个卵（范围：1-83）。在观察期间产卵的 n = 237 雌性中，在 4 小时间隔内，疝气雌性产卵 (35.8 ± 4.2) 比完整雌性 (48.0 ± 2.7) 少得多。在断头前 (0.88 ± 0.03) 或断头后 (0.84 ± 0.04) 从相同的 n = 10 只雌鱼收集的卵孵化的平均比例没有差异。斩首后快速产卵表明 WCR 产卵受到持续下降的神经抑制；控制产卵的运动程序必须位于头部后方。斩首可用于快速收集成熟的受精 WCR 卵。在 4 小时间隔内，患有疝气的雌性产卵 (35.8 ± 4.2) 比完整雌性 (48.0 ± 2.7) 少得多。在断头前 (0.88 ± 0.03) 或断头后 (0.84 ± 0.04) 从相同的 n = 10 只雌鱼收集的卵孵化的平均比例没有差异。斩首后快速产卵表明 WCR 产卵受到持续下降的神经抑制；控制产卵的运动程序必须位于头部后方。斩首可用于快速收集成熟的受精 WCR 卵。在 4 小时间隔内，患有疝气的雌性产卵 (35.8 ± 4.2) 比完整雌性 (48.0 ± 2.7) 少得多。在断头前 (0.88 ± 0.03) 或断头后 (0.84 ± 0.04) 从相同的 n = 10 只雌鱼收集的卵孵化的平均比例没有差异。斩首后快速产卵表明 WCR 产卵受到持续下降的神经抑制；控制产卵的运动程序必须位于头部后方。斩首可用于快速收集成熟的受精 WCR 卵。斩首后快速产卵表明 WCR 产卵受到持续下降的神经抑制；控制产卵的运动程序必须位于头部后方。斩首可用于快速收集成熟的受精 WCR 卵。斩首后快速产卵表明 WCR 产卵受到持续下降的神经抑制；控制产卵的运动程序必须位于头部后方。斩首可用于快速收集成熟的受精 WCR 卵。