Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School
 of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the
 Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

 LIFE HISTORY AND PESTICIDE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF Cybocephalus nipponicus
 ENDRODY-YOUNGA (COLEOPTERA: CYBOCEPHALIDAE) AND A
 TAXONOMIC REVISION OF THE CYBOCEPHALIDAE OF NORTH AMERICA
 AND THE WEST INDIES

 By

 Trevor Randall Smith

 December 2006

Chair: Ronald D. Cave
Major Department: Entomology and Nematology

 The life history of the predatory beetle Cybocephalus nipponicus Endr6dy-

Younga was studied by rearing the beetle on the cycad aulacaspis scale, Aulacaspis

yasumatsui Takagi. Mean developmental times of egg (7.3 0.8 days), larval (13.7 + 1.1

days), and pupal (18.6 + 1.6 days) stages were determined. Mortality in each life stage,

adult longevity, and adult sex ratios also were measured. A clarification of differences

between C. nipponicus and C. binotatus Grouvelle is included.

 The susceptibility of the predatory beetles C. nipponicus Endr6dy-Younga and

Rhyzobius lophanthae Blaisdell to six pesticides commonly used for treating cycad

aulacaspis scale was tested. Three concentrations (half field rate, field rate, and twice

field rate) of each pesticide were tested against both beetle species using a coated glass

vial bioassay. Nearly 100% mortality in both beetle species occurred at all

concentrations when treated with methidathion, dimethoate, and malathion. Insecticidal