Occurrence of Four Neuropeptides in the Anterior Central Nervous System of the Butterfly Precis coenia

Evidence for the Presence of the Summer-Morph-Producing Hormone in the Swallowtail Butterfly, Papilio xuthus L. (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)

“…SMPH activity is also detected in the brain extracts of young prepupae of Precis coenia (Starnecker et al, 1997). The seasonal polyphenism of P. coenia is regulated by the timing of ecdysteroid secretion similar to the mechanism described in the Araschnia species (Rountree and Nijhout, 1995).…”

“…AGS: average grade score for summer morphs. cerebral factors showing SMPH activity (Endo, 1984;Endo and Kamata, 1985;Starnecker et al, 1997). SMPH activity was also detected in 2% NaCl extracts of the brains of P. xuthus pharate pupae by the Polygonia pupal assay, suggesting the possibility that a cerebral factor showing SMPH activity is involved in the determination of seasonal morph development of P. xuthus (Endo et al, 1988).…”

“…The seasonal polymorphisms are controlled by ecdysteroids appearing early in the pupal stage. But the function of a SMPH-active factor existing in the cerebral and thoracic ganglia of P. coenia young prepupae is not yet known (Rountree and Nijhout, 1995;Starnecker et al, 1997). The third example is reported in A. levana and A. burejana having pupal diapause.…”

Presence of a cerebral factor showing summer‐morph‐producing hormone activity in the brain of the seasonal non‐polyphenic butterflies Vanessa cardui, V. indica and Nymphalis xanthomelas japonica (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

“…Additionally, four neuropeptides showing SMPH-, diapause hormone (DH)-, pupal melanization reducing factor (PMRF)-, and pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN)-activities were shown to be present in the central nervous system of Pr. coenia by Polygonia female SD-pupal assay, Bombyx DH bioassay, Inachis PMRF and Bombyx PBAN bioassays, respectively (Starnecker et al, 1997), although physiological functions of these hormonal factors are still not clear in Pr. coenia.…”

“…Additionally, our previous studies showed that adults of Papilio xuthus (Papilionidae), Lycaena phlaeas daimio (Lycaenidae) and Bombyx mori (Bombycidae) exhibited seasonal polyphenism in wing coloration in response to environmental factors such as photoperiod and temperature (Endo & Murakami, 1985;Tsurumaki et al, 1999), and neuropeptide(s) showing SMPH activity was detected in the brain of each species following a Polygonia female short-day (SD)-pupal assay to detect SMPH activity (Endo et al, 1988;Tanaka et al, 1997). Therefore, SMPH and a cerebral factor showing SMPH activity are thought to be widespread among seasonal polyphenic lepidopterans irrespective of family (Endo et al, 1988;Starnecker et al, 1997;Ito et al, 2001).…”