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‘Bistability’ experiments and photoperiodic morph determination in the aphid Aphis fabae
Author(s) -
NUNES MARLIES VAZ,
HARDIE JIM
Publication year - 1989
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.1365-3032.1989.tb00942.x
Subject(s) - biology , aphis , aphid , bistability , photoperiodism , circadian clock , aphididae , botany , circadian rhythm , homoptera , physics , quantum mechanics , pest analysis , neuroscience
. Newly born larvae (presumptive gynoparae) of the aphid Aphis fabae were exposed to ‘symmetrical skeleton’ photoperiods, consisting of two equal pulses of light per 24 h. The general form of the photoperiods tested was LDLD 1:10:1:12 h. This regime is open to two ‘interpretations’, LDLD 1:10:1:12 h (PP s 12) and LDLD 1:12:1:10 h (PP s 14). As both light pulses are close to 12 h apart, it is expected that the interpretations result in two distinct steady state phase relationships, i.e. this regime would show bistability. If this is true and both interpretations could be adopted, PP s 12 is expected to result in a low and PP s 14 in a high percentage of ‘apterized’ insects. Experiments undertaken with the aphid showed that bistability did not occur either at 15d̀C or 20d̀C, and the results could be entirely explained on the basis of an ‘instantly’ damping circadian oscillator clock.