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Seasonal differences in body mass and circulating metabolites in a wing‐dimorphic pygmy grasshopper: implications for life history?
Author(s) -
Lehmann Gerlind U. C.,
Marco Heather G.,
Lehmann Arne W.,
Gäde Gerd
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
ecological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.865
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2311
pISSN - 0307-6946
DOI - 10.1111/een.12647
Subject(s) - grasshopper , biology , wing , diapause , biological dispersal , orthoptera , zoology , sexual dimorphism , acrididae , ecology , fat body , larva , population , demography , sociology , engineering , aerospace engineering
The pygmy grasshopper Tetrix subulata displays wing polymorphism skewed towards macropterous (LW) individuals capable of flight. In contrast to most temperate Orthoptera it hibernates during winter and reproduces in spring. The gain in body mass from autumn to spring in long‐ but not short‐winged individuals might be explained by dispersal‐related food exploitation capacity. Levels of free circulating carbohydrates are elevated in long‐winged individuals in autumn, implying that dispersal by flight occurs predominantly before hibernation.