2644 - CSUN ScholarWorks - California State University, Northridge

66 · Journal of Student Research Abstracts
other dish. This indicates that at such a low water depth (1/4 em), the planarians were extremely vulnerable to
ultraviolet radiation compared to the larger depth (1 1/4 em). It was found that there was a significant difference
(p>.001) between planarian deaths from ultraviolet radiation at a low water depth (1/4 em) and at a greater
depth (1 1/4 em). Also, at the same water depths ("Control 1/4" & "Radiated 1/4" and "Radiated 1 1/4" &
"Control 1 114") there was a significant difference (p>.001) between deaths of the "Radiated" planarians and
the "Control" planarians. This means that the fatalities were caused by only the radiation and not by any other
factor.
2788
SNAil TRAILS: Will A SNAil FOllOW ANOTHER SNAIL'S MUCUS TRAil?
RobertS. Dong, Steve DeGusta (teacher). John F. Kennedy High School, 6715 Gloria Dr. , Sacramento, CA
95831.
I investigated the behavior of the common land snail, Cepaea nemoralis, when presented with a mucus trail
created by another snail. To do this, I obtained a "T" shaped maze and built a zigzag shaped maze. Using these
mazes, I set up tests to determine if snails would follow the trails. The 1st test used the "T" maze. A snail would
leave a mucus trail leading towards one direction. A 2nd snail would then be placed at the beginning of the
trail to see if it would follow it. ON all the trials, the snails followed the trails direction. From this portion of
my experiment, it was proven that snails would follow another mucus trail when given a choice between no
trail and a trail.
The zigzag maze was used next as further proof that they will follow the trail. To do this, one snail would
be placed at the beginning of the maze. The snail then made a trail in a zigzag shape. A 2nd snail was then
placed at the starting point without a maze to guide it. This way, the snail has an unlimited choice as to where
to go. This also proved successful, as the snails followed each other's mucus trails. They would not follow the
trail however, if there was an extreme source of heat or light upon the trail.
2789
EFFECTS OF STEINERNEMA NEMATODES ON TOBACCO HORNWORMS.
Rudy Buehler and Steve DeGusta (teacher). John F. Kennedy High School, 6715 Gloria Drive, Sacramento,
CA 95831.
This study was conducted to find out if the nematodes Steinemema were effective as pest control on tobacco
homworms (Manduca sexta) and on their cocoons. I tested the hornworms in their larval stage first. The
nematodes were placed in the soil. In nature, the nematodes are able to make their way into the bodies of their
victims and kill them within 48 hours. In this study, they did not. All 20 experimental homworms survived.
The second study was testing the nematodes on the cocoon stage of the homworms. I injected the nematodes
directly into the cocoons by way of a 26G needle tip on a 1 cc syringe. The 12 experimental cocoons were dead
within 48 hours while the 12 control cocoons, which were not injected with nematodes, survived. The controls
were stuck with a needle but received no injection. The control cocoons later hatched into tobacco moths while
the experimental cocoons did not. The nematodes effectively killed the cocoons of the homworm.