THE GENETICS OF HABROBRACON JUGLANDIS ASHMEAD 



punctella (Grandi, 1931), the fig moth, Ephes- 

 'tia cautella (Walker) (Simmons, and Reed, 1929) 

 and of the bee moth, Galleria mellonella, con- 

 cern this species. Habrobracon is- distributed 

 throughout the v;orld wherever its hosts, par- 

 ticularly the flour and meal moths, are presents 

 (Fahringer, 1928; Goidanich, 1934; Muesebeck, 

 1925; Watanabe, 1935). It does especially v/ell 

 in laboratory cultures if raised on the cater- 

 pillars (larvae) of Ephestia kuehniella. The 

 original Lancaster (1) stock was derived from 

 seven females bred from a single infested 

 Ephestia caterpillar and mated to their sons in 

 June, 1919. 



Genetic research with Habrobracon was begun 

 at the University of Pennsylvania in the fall 

 of 1916 by P. W. Whiting. The first mutant 

 type, a recessive orange eye color, appeared 

 March 27, 1920 (P. W. Whiting, 1921c). Tests) 

 made with this first mutant indicated that 

 three types of individuals occur regularly in 

 the species where the parents^ are related. 

 Males arise from unfertilized eggs, and are, 

 therefore, haploid and display only maternal 

 traits; females develop from fertilized eggs, 

 and, therefore, may show both maternal and pa- 

 ternal characters. In a few cases diploid males) 

 have appeared (P. W. Whiting, 1921e). These 

 may be recognized because they show paternal 

 characteristics. Habrobracon is, therefore, 

 typical of the order, in that it reproduces) 

 both gamicly and parthenogenetically. 



Habrobracon illustrates complete metamorpho- 

 sis and furnishes rich material for experimen- 

 tation because of the striking effect of temper- 

 ature on its body color, its habit of parasit- 



