Effects of temperature, age and stage on testis development in diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). (27th March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hiroyoshi, Satoshi; Mitsunaga, Takayuki; Reddy, Gadi V. P.
• Is Part Of: Physiological entomology. Volume 46:Number 3/4(2021)
• Page Start: 200
• Page End: 209
• Publication Date: 2021-03-27
• Subjects: DBM -- Lepidoptera -- male -- reproduction -- testis shrinkage; Insects -- Physiology -- Periodicals; 571.157
• DOI: 10.1111/phen.12359
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0307-6962

Abstract

Abstract: In Lepidoptera, it is known that larval and pupal testes enlarge in volume and then decrease in size over various phases of the pupal stage. After adult emergence, testis shrinkage continues. In the present study, the effects of temperature, age and stage on testis development were investigated in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Laboratory experiments indicated that in the adult stage, testis shrank markedly with age and with increasing temperatures, when males were reared at 15, 20, 25 or 30 °C during the larval and pupal stages and then transferred to other temperatures. When kept at 15, 20, 25 or 30 °C throughout their entire life (larva, pupa and adult), the higher the temperature, the smaller the testis volume at any given adult age, indicating that larval and/or pupal rearing temperatures also affected testis development. Field experiments carried out in Tokyo showed that testis volume in wild adult males of diamondback moth was quite varied, suggesting that this population had both young and old males at each survey time. The lower the larval and pupal rearing temperature, the larger the adult, as measured by forewing length. Since larger adults tended to have larger testis at adult emergence, adult testis volume should be compensated based on the forewing length. Mating reduced the testis size. Our results suggest that adult age of diamondback moths in wild populations can be estimated roughly from the data on testis volume, temperature and forewing length. Abstract : Testis size of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, decreased with adult age and increasing the rearing temperatures, when they were kept at 15, 20, 25 or 30 °C. Age and temperatures before and after adult emergence affected testis size: Aging and high temperatures reduced it greatly, reflecting their physiological age. Testis size of males that mated singly or multiply was smaller than that of unmated ones, suggesting that mating reduced testis size.