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Effect of duration of larval development on sexual competence in young adult male Diploptera punctata
Author(s) -
WOODHEAD ANDREA P.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
physiological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-3032
pISSN - 0307-6962
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3032.1984.tb00790.x
Subject(s) - biology , instar , spermatophore , larva , sperm , sexual maturity , ecology , botany
. The duration of larval development was 27% longer, adult weight was 10% greater, and adult head capsule was 2% wider in Diploptera punctata (Eschscholtz) males with four larval stadia compared with those with three larval stadia. Four‐instar males transferred significantly more sperm than three‐instar males 8, 14 and 28 days after adult eclosion, but there was no difference in the length of sperma‐tophore transferred by three‐ and four‐instar males at these ages. Eight‐day‐old four‐instar males were more successful than 8‐day‐old three‐instar males in fertilizing complete batches of eggs. For both three‐ and four‐instar males, males that mated when they were older (measured in days after adult eclosion) transferred more sperm and larger spermatophores than younger males. Body size did not have a significant effect on the number of sperm or size of spermatophore transferred by males.