Summary
The females of Leptopterna dolobrata (Heteroptera, Miridae) occur either as flightless brachypters or as macropterous individuals, whereas all the males are longwinged and capable of flight. The expression of this alary dimorphism is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Population density and temperature conditions prevailing during larval development both affect the formation of macropterous females. The larval instars L4 and/or L5 are particularly sensitive to these environmental stimuli and are thus decisive for the determination of wing-morphs.
Experimentally crowded larvae developed a greater proportion of macropterous females than individuals reared at lower densities, and lower temperatures seem to counteract the stimulating effect of crowding. Larvae from different local populations varied in the proportion of macropters which developed, which could be ascribed to differences in the genetic constitution, although the genetic basis of wing-morph determination in L. dolobrata is not yet understood.
There is strong evidence that in crowded populations a high percentage of the emerging macropterous females will emigrate and perform dispersal flights to new habitats. The sexual maturation of macropterous females is retarded compared with the brachypterous morph, and the dispersal flights are likely to occur during the pre-reproductive period.
The underlying physiological mechanism of wingmorph determination and the adaptive significance of its environmental control are discussed on the basis of information available from other polymorphic species.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Amiressami M (1973) Das inkretorische System der verschiedenen Generationen von Pemphigus bursarius L. (Aphidina). Zool Jb Anat 91:140–151
Braune HJ (1971) Der Einfluß der Temperatur auf Eidiapause und Entwicklung von Weichwanzen (Heteroptera, Miridae). Oecologia (Berlin) 8:223–266
Braune HJ (1980) Ökophysiologische Untersuchungen über die Steuerung der Eidiapause bei Leptopterna dolobrata (Heteroptera, Miridae). Zool Jb Syst 107:32–112
Dehn M von (1963) Hemmung der Flügelbildung durch Farnesol bei der schwarzen Bohnenlaus, Doralis fabae SCOP. Naturwissenschaften 50:578–579
Honek A (1976a) Factors influencing the wing polymorphism in Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera, Pyrrhocoridae). Zool Jb System 103:1–22
Honek A (1976b) The regulation of wing polymorphism in natural populations of Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera, Pyrrhocoridae). Zool Jb Syst 103:547–570
Johnson CG (1969) Migration and dispersal of insects by flight. London:Methuen
Kennedy JS (ed) (1961) Insect polymorphism. Symp roy ent Soc London No 1, London
Kisimoto R (1956) Effect of crowding during the larval period on the determination of the wing-form of an adult plant-bopper. Nature 178:641–642
Lees AD (1967) The production of apterous and the alatae forms in the aphid Megoura viciae BUCKTON with special reference to the role of crowding. J Insect Physiol 13:289–318
Seidenstuecker G (1953) Die plastische Modifikation des Flügels von Pyrrhocoris apterus Linné. Beitr Ent 3:29–55
Sothwood TRE (1961) A hormonal theory of the mechanism of with polymorphism in Heteroptera. Proc roy ent Soc London 36A:63–66
Vepsäläinen K (1978) Wing dimorphism and diapause in Gerris: Determination and adaptive significance. In: Dingle H (ed) Evolution of insect migration and diapause. Springer, New York Heidelberg Berlin, pp 218–253
Wagner E (1952) Blindwanzen oder Miriden. In: Dahl F (ed) Die Tierwelt Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Meeresteile. 41. Teil, G Fischer, Jena, pp 1–218
White DF (1968) Postnatal treatment of the cabbage aphid with a synthetic juvenile hormone. J Insect Physiol 14:901–912
White DF (1971) Corpus allatum activity associated with development of wing buds in cabbage aphid embryos and larvae. J Insect Physiol 17:761–773
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Braune, H.J. The influence of environmental factors on wing polymorphism in females of Leptopterna dolobrata (Heteroptera, Miridae). Oecologia 60, 340–347 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376849
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376849