Dalin, Peter
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Due to the risk of extinction and ornamental value of the swallowtail butterfly, Sericinus montelus Gray (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) in China, knowledge about local adaptations is important for the conservation and economical utilization of the species. In the present study, photoperiodic diapause induction and diapause intensity of S. montelus populations from Jiamusi (46 degrees 37'N), Beijing (40 degrees 15'N), Zibo (36 degrees 48'N), Fangxian (32 degrees 36'N), Wuhan (30 degrees 33'N) and Huaihua (27 degrees 33'N) were characterized at 25 degrees C. Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant population x hours of light interaction, confirming that photoperiodic responses varied among populations. The critical photoperiod was positively correlated with latitude and increased toward the north at a rate of about 1 h for each 6.67 degrees of latitude. Survival analyses indicated that survival time of diapausing pupae before adult eclosion differed significantly among populations at 25 degrees C and 16 : 8 L : D h. The mean duration of pupal diapause was also positively correlated with latitude. Our study reveals geographic variation in the critical photoperiod for diapause induction and in diapause intensity of S. montelus. These results provide useful information for our general understanding about seasonal adaptation in insects and may also be used to predict how geographic populations respond to climate warming.
Keywords
critical photoperiod; duration of diapause; geographic population; pupal diapause; Sericinus montelus
Published in
Insect Science
2012, volume: 19, number: 3, pages: 295-302
SLU Authors
Global goals (SDG)
UKÄ Subject classification
Ecology
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7917.2011.01473.x
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/40140