转Bt基因水稻“赣绿1号”对非靶标害虫褐飞虱取食、产卵行为及生长发育的影响

【目的】研究转cry1Ab/Ac基因水稻"赣绿1号"对非靶标害虫褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens的潜在影响。【方法】采用标准苗期集团筛选法研究"赣绿1号"对褐飞虱的抗性;利用取食和产卵选择性研究"赣绿1号"对褐飞虱取食、产卵行为的影响;用"赣绿1号"连续饲养褐飞虱5代,研究对褐飞虱生长发育(若虫发育历期、成虫体重)和繁殖(孵化子代若虫数量)的影响。【结果】"赣绿1号"与非转基因亲本对褐飞虱均表现为中抗;褐飞虱于"赣绿1号"上取食、产卵选择与非转基因亲本均无显著差异;除取食"赣绿1号"第2代褐飞虱第3龄龄期显著短于取食非转基因亲本水稻的褐飞虱外,第2代和第5代若虫各龄龄期均无显著差异,褐飞虱雌雄成虫体重和孵化若虫数均无显著差异。【结论】与对照水稻相比,转Bt基因水稻"赣绿1号"对非靶标害虫褐飞虱的苗期抗性、取食、产卵行为及生长发育等无明显的不利影响。     

高温对稻褐飞虱发育与生殖的影响

通过高温处理及交配产卵实验,探讨了高温对稻褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens (Stal)发育与生殖的影响。研究了不同高温条件对褐飞虱若虫发育历期、产卵量、产卵前期、寿命等生物学特性的影响。34℃以上高温导致褐飞虱若虫发育历期延长。高温处理4龄若虫使羽化后的雌成虫产卵量减少。高温处理不同日龄雌成虫也致使其产卵量减少,其中以1日龄短翅型、3日龄长翅型的产卵量影响最大。高温处理后褐飞虱寿命缩短。高温恒温处理,对短翅型雌成虫的产卵前期影响不大,但能延长长翅型雌成虫的产卵前期;而高温变温处理致使短、长翅型雌成虫的产卵前期均延长。高温变温对褐飞虱生殖的影响程度大于高温恒温。高温处理组雌、雄成虫与对照组相应的成虫交配试验表明,高温对雌性的影响大于雄性。实验初步确定34℃为对褐飞虱发育与生殖产生影响的临界温度。     

稻飞虱翅型纯系后代个体的翅型分化对光周期变化不敏感

【目的】为了明确光周期和遗传因子在稻飞虱翅型分化中的作用, 研究了3种稻飞虱（褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens、白背飞虱Sogatella furcifera和灰飞虱Laodelphax striatellus）翅型纯系或近纯系在不同光照时数下的翅型分化比率。【方法】以经过5~45代连续翅型筛选后的褐飞虱、白背飞虱和灰飞虱的长翅型和短翅型纯系或近纯系为材料, 在室内分别测定了其在长光照（16和20 h）、短光照(4~12 h)和正常光照(14 h) 3类光周期条件下饲养后, 雌、雄成虫中长翅和短翅个体出现的比率及存活率。【结果】白背飞虱和灰飞虱的长翅型纯系M♂×M♀或短翅型纯系B♂×B♀在不同光周期下的翅型比率均无显著差异（P>0.05）。褐飞虱短翅型近纯系B♂×B♀的雌虫短翅率和成虫总短翅率在不同光周期下也无显著差异（P>0.05）, 但雄虫短翅率在正常光照14 h和短光照4 h下显著高于长光照20 h下的（P<0.05）。当褐飞虱短翅型达到纯系后, 其后代翅型在6~16 h光照条件下无显著差异。褐飞虱长翅型近纯系M♂×M♀的后代虽有短翅个体出现, 但是雌虫和雄虫的各自短翅率在不同光周期下无显著差异（P>0.05), 仅总体短翅率在12 h光照条件下的显著高于16 h下的（P<0.05）。褐飞虱长、短翅型杂交筛选品系M♂×B♀的雌虫短翅率随光照时数的延长而升高; 灰飞虱杂交筛选品系M♂×B♀的短翅雄虫随光照时数的缩短而增多（P<0.05）, 但当筛选代次达到45代时, 这种趋势不再显著。3种稻飞虱长翅型和短翅型纯系或近纯系若虫的存活率会稍低于长、短翅型杂交后代的存活率, 但长、短翅型品系的存活率在6~16 h光照条件下差异不显著(P>0.05)。【结论】稻飞虱翅型分化对光周期的反应受飞虱本身遗传背景的影响, 翅型纯系后代个体的翅型分化对光周期变化不敏感。     

氮肥促进Bt水稻和非Bt水稻上溴氰菊酯诱导的褐飞虱再猖獗能力

【目的】褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugnes是Bt水稻上重要的非靶标害虫之一,多种药剂会引起褐飞虱的再猖獗。本研究旨在探究氮肥使用下Bt水稻上褐飞虱对农药的生态适应性和再猖獗能力。【方法】取Bt水稻T1C-19(含cry1C*基因)和T2A-1(含cry2A*基因)稻苗分别施以0,100和250kg N/hm~2的氮肥,用不同浓度溴氰菊酯(0,1,3和6 mg/L)喷雾处理其上饲养的褐飞虱,分析氮肥处理的Bt水稻上褐飞虱对农药的生态适应性指标(若虫发育历期、若虫存活率、雌成虫体重、单雌产卵量和卵孵化率)。【结果】高浓度溴氰菊酯(6 mg/L)处理下褐飞虱的若虫存活率显著低于未处理组,而单雌产卵量则高于未处理组。方差分析表明,氮肥与溴氰菊酯相互作用可以显著影响褐飞虱的若虫存活率、雌成虫体重、单雌产卵量和卵孵化率。在0 kg N/hm~2处理下,溴氰菊酯处理对褐飞虱的产卵量无显著影响。在100和250 kg N/hm~2处理稻株上褐飞虱产卵量随着溴氰菊酯浓度的升高而增加。随着氮肥施用量的增加,褐飞虱若虫历期缩短,雌成虫体重增加,产卵量增加,褐飞虱若虫孵化率和存活率增高。相同氮肥施用量、溴氰菊酯同一浓度处理条件下,Bt水稻和常规水稻相比对褐飞虱的若虫发育历期、产卵量、卵孵化率和存活率均无显著影响。【结论】本研究结果表明,氮肥可以促进Bt水稻和非Bt水稻上溴氰菊酯诱导的褐飞虱再猖獗。     

亚洲柑桔木虱体色变化规律的研究

亚洲柑桔木虱Diaphorina citri Kuwayama为黄龙病的媒介昆虫。本文研究了其雌雄成虫在刚羽化、羽化后3 h、交配盛期和产卵盛期的腹部和前翅颜色变化规律,明确了每个时期的主要体色,同时探讨了不同季节、虫口密度和寄主条件对体色变化的影响。结果表明,雌雄木虱羽化后前翅颜色均由白色→黑色→红褐色渐变,木虱雌成虫腹部颜色随时间推移由黄绿色→灰白色→蓝色→橙色渐变,雄虫由黄绿色→灰黑色→橙色渐变。季节、寄主和虫口密度的变化对雌虫腹部颜色构成有一定的影响,但对雄虫基本上没有影响。不同条件下雌虫腹部的主要颜色为蓝色或橙色,雄虫均以橙色为主,其次为灰黑色,表明木虱成虫多处于交配期或产卵期。木虱5龄若虫的体色变化也较大。多数条件下木虱的性比接近于1∶1,仅春秋季雌性比例略低于雄性。通过观察木虱的体色变化规律可以初步判断其羽化情况和性别,估计羽化期、交配期和产卵盛期,作为木虱生物学特性研究和预测预报的参考。     

柳毒蛾繁殖生物学的初步观察

【目的】为了明确柳毒蛾Leucoma salicis(Linnaeus)交配的日节律高峰,温度和不同交配持续时间处理对成虫寿命、产卵量和孵化率等繁殖生物学的影响。【方法】将新羽化的柳毒蛾成虫置于养虫笼中,观察交配的日节律高峰,并统计不同温度和不同交配持续时间处理下的成虫寿命、产卵量和孵化率。【结果】成虫在羽化当晚的后半夜凌晨开始交尾,次日晚上开始产卵。成虫交配集中在羽化翌日凌晨3:00—5:00之间,高峰为4:00。产卵高峰都出现在2日龄成虫,但是,25℃下成虫交配持续时间(9.2 h)显著短于28℃(11.8 h)。交配持续时间为30、60和300 min的处理,雌成虫平均寿命显著长于对照(对照9.2 h),雄虫仅60 min的处理显著长于对照。同时,极短的交配持续时间(30 min)显著降低雌虫的产卵量和孵化率。【结论】试验明确了成虫交配的日节律高峰,在适宜的温度范围内(25~28℃),雌雄成虫的寿命、单雌总产卵量无显著差异,交配持续时间明显影响成虫寿命、产卵量和卵孵化率。     

光周期和LED光源对茄二十八星瓢虫成虫行为的影响

【目的】探明光周期和LED光源对茄二十八星瓢虫Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata成虫取食、移动、交配和产卵等行为的影响,为该害虫的预测预报和综合治理提供科学依据和技术指导。【方法】在光期光源为白色日光灯,光照强度约为500 lx, RH 75%±2%条件下观察并记录了30℃时6个不同光周期(16L∶8D, 15L∶9D, 14L∶10D, 13L∶11D, 12L∶12D和11L∶13D)下茄二十八星瓢虫成虫取食、移动、交配和产卵行为;26℃时暗期以不使用光照(12L∶12D)为对照,使用红、黄、蓝、绿和白光5个不同LED光照(分别记为12L∶12R, 12L∶12Y, 12L∶12B, 12L∶12G和12L∶12W)下茄二十八星瓢虫成虫取食、移动、交配和产卵行为。【结果】当光照时长从13 h延长至16 h时,茄二十八星瓢虫成虫取食频次有增加的趋势;当光照时长从12 h延长至15 h时,产卵量有增加的趋势。光周期为14L∶10D和13L∶11D时,成虫取食频次(分别为45.25和25.00次/5对)显著低于其他光周期下,光周期11L∶13D下产卵量(仅有7.25粒/5♀)显著低于其他光周期下。蓝光处理组取食频次(112.50次/5对)显著高于黄光和绿光处理组(分别为77.0和66.25次/5对);黄光和绿光处理组产卵量(分别为261.50和285.50粒/5♀)显著高于对照组。【结论】延长光照时间,茄二十八星瓢虫成虫取食频次和产卵量均有增加趋势;暗期使用蓝光时成虫取食频次增加,而使用黄光和绿光时则产卵量增加。光周期和LED光源对其移动和交配行为影响不显著。     

绿缘扁角叶甲生活史、交配及繁殖的观察

【目的】探明绿缘扁角叶甲Platycorynus parryi Baly年生活史、交配及繁殖情况。【方法】越冬代成虫在室内自然条件下连续繁殖,及在不同温度下,详细观察记录了成虫的交配、繁殖力和寿命。【结果】绿缘扁角叶甲是络石Trachelospermum jasminoides的重要害虫,以老熟幼虫在3~5 cm深的土层中越冬,在江西南昌一年发生1代。越冬幼虫于次年4月中旬开始陆续化蛹,4月下旬成虫开始羽化。自然条件下各虫态发育历期:卵期(11.81±0.17)d,幼虫期300~330 d,蛹期(13.62±0.13)d,成虫寿命(47.99±0.65)d。成虫羽化3~4 d后开始交配,日平均交配(3.55±0.11)次,交配持续时间最短5 min,最长可达140 min,平均交配持续时间(28.11±0.89)min,日龄大的成虫交配持续时间显著短于日龄小的成虫;相邻两次交配之间的间隔时间最短3 min,最长426 min,平均交配间隔时间(74.75±3.19)min,日龄大的成虫交配间隔时间显著短于日龄小的成虫。交配后2~3 d开始产卵,平均每雌产卵量为169粒。在22、25和28℃条件下,温度对雌虫寿命具有显著影响,随着温度升高,雌虫寿命显著缩短,而雄虫寿命和每雌产卵量却差异不显著。【结论】绿缘扁角叶甲在江西南昌一年发生1代,以老熟幼虫在土中越冬,成虫可进行多次交配,成虫日龄对其交配行为有显著影响,温度对该虫的繁殖力无显著影响。     

绿僵菌及其与dsRNA混合使用对褐飞虱的防治效果

褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens Stl是我国重要的迁飞性水稻害虫,本文研究了金龟子绿僵菌Metarhizium anisopliae及其与dsRNA混合使用对褐飞虱的防治效果。绿僵菌悬浮液1.6×108孢子/m L至8×106孢子/m L对褐飞虱2龄、4龄和成虫进行喷药,发现1.6×107孢子/m L对各个虫态虫龄均有良好致死效果,并且成虫和4龄若虫均好于2龄若虫。在交配行为上来看,绿僵菌处理过的褐飞虱成虫活跃度非常低,从配对开始一直到交配结束的各个阶段都受到明显影响,处理组3 h的交配率只有3.70%,而对照组的交配率为24.44%。还把褐飞虱几丁质合成酶基因A的dsRNA与绿僵菌混合使用防治褐飞虱2龄和4龄若虫,结果表明0.5μg/μL ds CHSA与绿僵菌混合使用的防治效果最好,2龄若虫的死亡率为89.63%,4龄若虫的死亡率达到93.94%。而0.2μg/μL ds CHSA与绿僵菌的混合,对2龄和4龄若虫的致死率为65.56%-76.52%。研究结果为褐飞虱的生物防治提供了新的思路。     

温度和氮肥对褐飞虱存活、生长发育和繁殖的交互作用

在实验室条件下,研究了不同温度（20 ℃、23 ℃、26 ℃、29 ℃和32 ℃）和氮肥水平（不施氮：0 kg·hm^-2;高氮：250 kg·hm^-2）对褐飞虱存活、发育和繁殖的影响和交互作用.结果表明：在20 ℃~29 ℃范围内,随着温度的升高,褐飞虱的卵孵化率和若虫存活率提高,卵和若虫历期缩短,成虫寿命缩短,同时产卵量增加;32 ℃时, 褐飞虱卵孵化率和若虫存活率降低、卵和若虫历期延长、成虫生殖力降低;在不同温度下,高氮植株上的褐飞虱卵孵化率和若虫存活率、成虫生殖力均明显高于低氮稻株上的褐飞虱,同时高氮植株上褐飞虱的卵和若虫历期明显短于低氮稻株上的褐飞虱,说明施用高水平氮肥提高了褐飞虱对逆境条件的生态适应性;温度和氮肥对褐飞虱卵存活率、若虫历期和产卵量的交互作用显著,表明全球气候变暖和长期施用高水平氮肥很可能是近年来褐飞虱猖獗暴发的重要原因.     

环境颜色对韭菜迟眼蕈蚊生物学特性的影响

【目的】明确环境颜色对韭菜迟眼蕈蚊Bradysia odoriphaga Yang et Zhang生长发育及繁殖能力等生物学特征的影响。【方法】在室内条件下,利用黑、棕、绿、红和橙5种颜色卡纸模拟自然环境颜色,比较研究了其对韭菜迟眼蕈蚊生长发育和繁殖的影响。【结果】韭菜迟眼蕈蚊发育历期在橙色环境下最长,为26.15 d,黑色环境下最短,为22.35 d;世代存活率在黑色环境下最高,为43.88%,橙色环境下最低,为28.88%;性比在各颜色环境下无显著差异;雌雄成虫寿命均在棕色环境下最长,分别为2.06 d和2.99 d,橙色环境下最短,分别为1.58 d和2.57 d;单雌产卵量在棕色环境下最多,为62.99粒,橙色环境下最少,为45.64粒;种群趋势指数由高到低依次为:黑色(15.90)棕色(15.07)透明色对照(12.93)红色(11.69)绿色(11.67)橙色(8.50)。【结论】环境颜色影响韭菜迟眼蕈蚊生物学特性,黑色及棕色环境有利于其生长发育及繁殖,橙色环境可抑制其生长发育及繁殖。     

不同大豆品种上红绿两种色型豌豆蚜的种群参数

【目的】探讨不同大豆品种对红绿两种色型豌豆蚜Acyrthosiphon pisum种群参数的影响,为大豆品种的抗蚜性评价及豌豆蚜的预测预报与综合防治提供试验依据。【方法】在光周期10L∶14D、温度23±1℃,相对湿度60%±10%,光照强度212μmol/m~2·s的人工气候箱中,观察和分析4个大豆品种(汾豆牧绿2号、南夏豆25、南黑豆20和南豆5号)叶片上红绿两种色型豌豆蚜的成虫寿命、繁殖和种群生命表参数。【结果】在大豆品种汾豆牧绿2号上,红绿两种色型豌豆蚜成虫寿命均最短,繁殖力均最弱,且红色型豌豆蚜成虫寿命比绿色型长1.07 d,内禀增长率是绿色型豌豆蚜的29.93倍;在南夏豆25上,红色型豌豆蚜成虫寿命比绿色型长2.46 d,内禀增长率是绿色型豌豆蚜的5.86倍;在南黑豆20上,红色型豌豆蚜成虫寿命比绿色型长2.47 d,内禀增长率是绿色型豌豆蚜的1.54倍;在南豆5号上,红色型豌豆蚜成虫寿命比绿色型短0.02 d,内禀增长率是绿色型豌豆蚜的1.41倍。【结论】不同大豆品种对红色和绿色型豌豆蚜种群参数的影响不同,且两种色型豌豆蚜对不同大豆品种适应性反应也不相同。     

光周期和温湿度对烟蚜茧蜂寄生能力和繁殖的影响

【目的】烟蚜茧蜂Aphidius gifuensis对烟蚜Myzus persicae有着极高的寄生率,而被广泛用于烟田防治烟蚜。但在人工扩繁烟蚜茧蜂过程中,环境因素对烟蚜茧蜂的生长发育有一定影响。本研究旨在明确光周期、湿度和温度对烟蚜茧蜂在烟蚜上寄生力的影响。【方法】在室内分别调查温度25℃、相对湿度70%与4个光周期(9L∶15D,12L∶12D, 14L∶10D和19L∶5D)组合条件下,温度25℃、光周期14L∶10D与4个相对湿度(65%, 70%, 75%和80%)条件下, 以及相对湿度70%、光周期14L∶10D与4个温度(10℃, 15℃, 25℃和35℃)组合条件下,烟蚜茧蜂成蜂对烟蚜若蚜的寄生率及成蜂羽化率、寿命、性比(雌性占比)和后足胫节长度。【结果】结果表明光照时间过长或过短均会对烟蚜茧蜂的生长发育造成负面影响。在温度25℃和相对湿度70%时,光周期14L∶10D下烟蚜茧蜂成蜂的体型最大,其成蜂后足胫节最长,为0.439 mm;光周期为12L∶12D下烟蚜茧蜂成蜂的体型最小,后足胫节长度只有0.345 mm;光周期14L∶10D下烟蚜茧蜂成蜂对烟蚜若蚜的寄生率、寿命也最高,分别为42.61%和42.33 h。在温度25℃和光周期14L∶10D时,烟蚜茧蜂成蜂在烟蚜若蚜上的寄生率随着相对湿度的增加出现先升高后减小的变化情况,在相对湿度为75%下寄生率最高,达54.44%;在相对湿度为65%下寄生率最低,只有21.67%;相对湿度70%下烟蚜茧蜂成蜂的寿命和后足胫节最长,分别为42.33 h和0.439 mm;相对湿度75%下烟蚜茧蜂的寿命最短,只有20.42 h;相对湿度65%下烟蚜茧蜂成蜂的后足胫节最短,仅有0.373 mm。在相对湿度70%和光周期14L∶10D时,温度为25℃比低温为10℃和15℃更有利于烟蚜茧蜂成蜂的生长发育,其寄生率、雌性占比和后足胫节长度分别为4261%, 39.04%和0.439 mm, 均高于10℃和15℃下的值;而高温35℃则不利于烟蚜茧蜂成蜂在烟蚜若蚜上的寄生行为,并无僵蚜产生,甚至会使寄主烟蚜死亡。【结论】在温度25℃和相对湿度70%时,光周期为14L∶10D更有利于提高烟蚜茧蜂成蜂的寄生率、体型和寿命;在温度25℃和光周期14L∶10D时,相对湿度为75%更有利于提高烟蚜茧蜂成蜂的寄生率,相对湿度为70%条件更有利于烟蚜茧蜂寿命、体型的增加;在相对湿度70%和光周期14L∶10D时,温度为25℃更有利于烟蚜茧蜂寄生率、体型以及雌性占比的增加,而低温10℃条件更有利于烟蚜茧蜂的寿命的延长。本研究结果为田间大棚或者室内小棚等烟蚜茧蜂人工扩繁及其复壮提供了科学参考。     

Rethinking the thermal melanism hypothesis: rearing temperature and coloration in pygmy grasshoppers

Selection for efficient conversion of solar radiation to body heat has favored the evolution of dark coloration in many ectotherms. The thermal melanism hypothesis posits that dark coloration is beneficial under conditions of low ambient temperatures because it results in faster heating rates and higher body temperatures. Fast heating rates, however, may come at a cost of overheating unless compensated for by thermal physiology or behaviour. Pygmy grasshopper (Orthoptera, Tetrigidae) populations that inhabit fire-ravaged areas characterized by blackened backgrounds and hot surface temperatures due to high absorbance of solar radiation show an increased frequency of black phenotypes. I raised the progeny of wild-captured Tetrix undulata in cold and hot temperatures and used data on color patterns and survival in a greenhouse to examine whether a cold thermal environment triggered the development of melanic coloration or differently affected survival of melanic versus non-melanic individuals. My results indicate that melanism was not influenced by rearing temperature but by genes or epigenetic maternal effects. Temperature also did not affect survival. However, melanic individuals produced by melanic mothers survived longer than melanic individuals produced by non- melanic mothers, whereas non-melanic individuals produced by non-black mothers survived longer than melanic individuals produced by non-black mothers. This suggests a mismatch between color and physiology in offspring belonging to a different color morph than their mother. Future investigations into the evolution of melanism should consider conflicting selection pressures on thermal capacity and camouflage as well as the influence of correlated responses to selection on traits associated with coloration.     

Melanism in a Chinese Population of Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): A Criterion for Male Investment with Pleiotropic Effects on Behavior and Fertility

In Beijing, China, females of Harmonia axyridis are promiscuous but prefer typical (succinea form) males to melanic ones in the spring generation, ostensibly due to the thermal disadvantages of melanism during summer. We used laboratory observations to test whether males invested differentially in females according to their elytral color, and whether male behavior was phenotype-dependent. Video-recording was used to monitor no-choice mating tests between virgin adults in all phenotype combinations and females were isolated post-copula to observe their egg retention times and reproduction over 5 days. Females tended to wait longer before using the sperm of melanic males, and melanic females delayed longer than succinic females. Melanic males spent longer in copula with succinic than melanic females and the latter received fewer bouts of male abdominal shaking that correlate with sperm transfer, regardless of the phenotype of their mate. Although melanic males abandoned melanic females faster than did succinic males, they remained in copula with females of both phenotypes for a longer period after shaking, suggesting a larger investment in mate guarding by the less-preferred male phenotype. Although female fecundity did not vary among phenotype combinations, egg fertility was lower for females mated to melanic males, suggesting a pleiotropic effect of melanism on male fertility in addition to its effects on male mating behavior.     

Trade-offs between melanisation and life-history traits in Helicoverpa armigera

Abstract.  1. Previously we established a homozygous melanic strain (JBM) with 16 black pupae spontaneously occurring within a laboratory population (JBW) of Helicoverpa armigera and demonstrated that the melanisation is controlled by a single recessive autosomal gene.
2. Data obtained indicate that the melanisation is globally expressed in the pupal and adult stages (except for the body hairs of adults) but not in the egg and larval stages. No differences in body colour can be found between the melanic JBM and the wild-type JBW strains before the metamorphic pupation moult. After pupation, the JBM pupae gradually blacken, whereas the wild-type JBW pupae gradually turn brown, indicating that the biosynthetic steps leading to brown pigments are shut off in the JBM strain. In the adult stage, wings are darker and hairs on the abdomen and tergum are lighter in the melanic moths than in the wild-type individuals.
3. Life-table experiments reveal that the melanism is associated with slower development in all life stages, smaller body weight, lower mating rate and fecundity, less mating time, and accordingly, lower net reproduction rate and population trend index.
4. Single pair inbreeding and reciprocal crosses show that the mating rate is much lower in the inter-strain crosses than in the intra-strain crosses, indicating the presence of mating preference for its own colour morph and the presence to some degree of reproductive isolation between the two colour morphs.     

Seasonal changes in humidity level in the tropics impact body color polymorphism and desiccation resistance in Drosophila jambulina—Evidence for melanism-desiccation hypothesis

Drosophila jambulina exhibits color dimorphism controlled by a single locus but its ecological significance is not clear. Dark and light morphs differ significantly in body melanisation, desiccation resistance, rate of water loss, mating activity and fecundity. Interestingly, this species lacks clinal variation for body size, desiccation resistance and life history traits. For body melanisation, lack of geographical variation as well as plastic effects is not in agreement with a thermal melanism hypothesis. However, based on field data, there are seasonal changes in phenotypic frequencies of dark and light body color morphs which correlate significantly with variation in humidity levels. Under short-term (8 h) desiccation stress, we observed higher number of assortative matings, longer copulation period and increased fecundity for dark strains as compared with light strains. By contrast, both the morphs when exposed to high humid conditions exhibited higher assortative matings and fecundity for light strains as compared with dark strains. In tropical populations of D. jambulina, body color polymorphism seems to be maintained through humidity changes as opposed to thermal melanism. Thus, seasonal changes in the frequency of body color morphs in this tropical species supports melanism-desiccation hypothesis.     

短时高温对桃小食心虫生长发育与繁殖的影响

【目的】桃小食心虫Carposina sasakii是我国北方落叶果树的重要害虫。本研究旨在探索短时高温对桃小食心虫生长发育和繁殖的影响。【方法】在室内23±1℃、 相对湿度80%±7%和15L∶9D条件下, 测定了桃小食心虫卵、 幼虫、 蛹、 成虫在经历35, 38和41℃高温处理1～4 h后各阶段的发育历期、 存活率和产卵量。【结果】 短时高温对卵的孵化率无明显影响; 经41℃处理后, 初蛀果幼虫(1日龄)的发育历期明显延长, 且存活率显著降低, 3日龄以上的幼虫受到的影响不明显; 11日龄蛹的羽化率在38℃和41℃处理中明显降低, 畸形率也显著升高; 经38℃和41℃处理的成虫存活率降低, 寿命缩短, 产卵量也减少。【结论】短时高温处理对桃小食心虫卵的影响较小, 而对成虫的影响较大。这些结果有助于深入了解该虫在高温季节种群数量变动机制。     

Melanic body colour and aggressive mating behaviour are correlated traits in male mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki)

Correlated traits are important from an evolutionary perspective as natural selection acting on one trait may indirectly affect other traits. Further, the response to selection can be constrained or hastened as a result of correlations. Because mating behaviour and body colour can dramatically affect fitness, a correlation between them can have important fitness ramifications. In this work, melanic (black) male mosquitofishes (Gambusia holbrooki) with temperature-sensitive body-colour expression are bred in captivity. Half of the sons of each melanic sire are reared at 19 degrees C (and express a black body colour) and half are reared at 31 degrees C (and express a silver body colour). The two colour morphs are placed in the same social setting and monitored for behavioural differences. Mating behaviour and colour are correlated traits. Mating behaviour differs markedly between the two phenotypes, despite high genetic relatedness. Melanic (black) phenotypes are more aggressive towards females, chasing them and attempting more matings than their silver siblings. Females avoid melanic-male mating attempts more than silver-male mating attempts. When males with temperature-sensitive colour expression are melanic and aggressive, they probably experience a very different selective regime in nature from when they are silver and less aggressive. Under some conditions (e.g. predation), melanic coloration and/or aggression is advantageous compared with silver coloration and/or less aggressive behaviour. However, under different conditions (e.g. high-frequency melanism), melanism and/or aggression appears to be disadvantageous and melanic males have reduced survival and reproduction. Selective advantages to each morph under different conditions may enable the long-term persistence of this temperature-sensitive genotype.