LARVAL MORPHOMETRIC AND ADULT MORTALITY OF DERMESTES MACULATUS DEGEER EXPOSED TO POWDERED AND STEAM EXTRACTS PIPER GUINEENSE PRE-TREATED FISH
Ebochuo V.C. & Onwuka C. N.
Department of Fisheries and Marine Technology
Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, Ohaji.
Email: victorebochuo@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Effect of powdered and steam extracts of Black Pepper (Piper guineense) Uziza (Igbo), at doses of 5%, 7.5% and 10% on the Hyde beetle ( Dermestes maculatus Degeer) Exposed To pre- treated fish (Clarias gariepinus) was monitored for 21days. Treated and untreated fish were enclosed in plastic jars covered with muslin to which three pairs of the insect had been introduced and left at ambience. Mortalities were monitored every 24hours, while instar stages were obtained through the measurement of larvae present at the end of the experiment to the nearest millimeter. Powdered form caused 100% adult mortality at all doses. Steam extracted form resulted in 33.30%, 50.00% and 66.79%, at 5%, 7.30% and 10% spice concentrations respectively. Black pepper powder destroyed perpetuation of Hide beetle in pre – treated fish while specimens placed on spice extract pre – treated fish reproduced. Linear decreases in length of larval
instars stages reared on substrate with increasing spice steam extract concentrations were observed. Mean length range for each dose 3.25±0.7mm -14.00±0.00mm for 0.00%; 2.00 + 0.04mm – 12.00 + 0.09mm for
5%; 5.50 + 1.10mm -12.00mm for 7.3% and 2.00 + 0.00mm – 9.00±0.33 for 10%.Five larval instars were found in all replicates of the control while six were found in all replicates of the pre – treated fish. In addition to the traditional usage, Piper guineense can further be utilized to preserve and protect smoked dried fish in storage against the hide beetle, “Dermestes maculatus Degeer.”