The direction of incident light and its perception in the control of pupal melanization in Pieris brassicae

Angersbach, Dieter

doi:10.1016/0022-1910(75)90181-x

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…We assume, with Poulton, that the ocelli are the main light receptors of the caterpillars. This has been confirmed by Angersbach (1975) for Pieris brassicae where the most ventral ocellus (on each side) is the most important receptor determining the subsequent colour of the pupa. However, Angersbach also found that the other ocelli have some effect, and there is also a photoreceptor which he could not localize situated dorsally on the head capsule.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

“…Sumner & Keys (1929) showed that degree of pigmentation assumed by flatfish is closely related to the intensity of reflected light but is inversely related to the intensity of incident light. Pigmentation in the stick insect Carausius morosus and the butterfly Pieris brassicae is also dependent on both incident and reflected light (Dustmann, 1964;Angersbach, 1975). In our experiments we controlled for variation in incident light by keeping cages with different reflected light conditions side by side, but we did not attempt to keep incident light conditions constant.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The causes of colour and colour change in caterpillars of the poplar and eyed hawkmoths (Laothoe populi and Smerinthus ocellata)

Grayson

Edmunds

1989

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

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R l 2 T Q krirrird I \oiemhrr 1988, cii:rplrd lor puhlt:n/iori I7 brhruary 1989 (htcrpillsrs of the poplar and eyed hawkmoths (Laothoe populi and Smerinlhus ocellala respc-rtively) were reared under dilleretit conditions in order ti) detcrrniric why final instar caterpillars vary in ( d o u r . Poplar Iiawkmotli caterpillars iiormally rest o n the undersides of leaves. Dull grrrn and rcdspotted caterpillars arc genetically dctrrrninrd polyrnorphisms. Caterpillars that are riot dull grren, however. can 1)ccorric white whcii lid on f':ipulus d b a or yrllow-green when fed on Salix /ra,~ilis.Experinients showed that i t is the rcflcctivr qualities of the leaves that determines which colour the caterpillar develops: if ihc young larva sccs white then i t hecomrs white, but if i t sees green, grey o r I h c k the11 i t becomes yrllow-grern.Yourig cyrd hawknioth larvar always devr1opc.d into grey-green final instar caterpillars under our rather ~)oorly-iIIunii~iat~~d rearing conditions, but when reared on wild plants in white muslin sleeves ihcy 1)cc;inic whitish-green. In this species also i t appears that colour of the final instar is determined hy the rcllcctancr of the ~ut)stratc prrc civrd by the young caterpillar.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The causes of colour and colour change in caterpillars of the poplar and eyed hawkmoths (Laothoe populi and Smerinthus ocellata)

Grayson

Edmunds

1989

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

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“…The principal constituent of the xanthophyll product used in this study was lutein. The relevance of dietary xanthophyll was uncovered by studying the extent of melanization of pupae that is determined by visual cues perceived via the larval ocelli during a short sensitive phase prior to pupation (Kayser and Angersbach 1974, 1975; Angersbach 1975; Kayser‐Wegmann 1975).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, we studied the response of late last instar larvae to wavelength and intensity of light by adapting pupal pigmentation to the local light environment (Kayser and Angersbach 1974, 1975). Light quality as well as brightness contrast, which are mediated by the larval ocelli (Angersbach 1975), become effective during a short period between spinning of the girdle and pupation (Kayser‐Wegmann 1975). Here, the extent of melanization of the pupal cuticle was used as a measure of the response to light as it can be easily quantified by an established scoring system (Kayser and Angersbach 1975).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Xanthophylls are key constituents of semi‐synthetic diets for continuous breeding of Pieris brassicae without food plant

Kayser¹

2011

J Applied Entomology

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Semi‐synthetic or fully artificial diets are well established in culturing laboratory insects on a large scale. In Pieris brassicae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), a published semi‐synthetic diet supplemented with sinigrin, a chemical label of cruciferous plants, is well accepted by the larvae but the adults fail to produce offspring; continuous breeding, therefore, requires the addition of cabbage powder to the diet. We set out to identify essential substances to eliminate the need for cabbage in our long‐term mass culture. The studies revealed that the dietary difference, which becomes most evident at the adult stage only, is because of a severe lack of carotenoids in the cabbage‐free version. This was uncovered in larvae, fed cabbage‐supplemented diet, that respond to blue light of sufficient intensity by high cuticle melanization on pupation; larvae fed the carotenoid‐deficient sinigrin‐supplemented diet fail to respond in this way. Males were found to be more sensitive than females to blue light in this respect. The essential substance mediating this photo response was found to be lutein and/or zeaxanthin, two abundant xanthophylls of green leaves. β‐Carotene was only marginally active. These xanthophylls are known to serve as precursors to the synthesis of 3‐hydroxyretinal, the exclusive visual chromophore of lepidopteran insects; retinal, derived from β‐carotene, is not (substantially) used by these insects. In conclusion, the absence of flying and mating activity in the adults from the sinigrin diet may indicate visual deficiency owing to a lack of a specific structural class of carotenoids in the larval food. Our results enabled us to formulate a semi‐synthetic diet that allows continuous mass rearing of P. brassicae without cabbage at any stage including oviposition. In addition to the key constituents sinigrin and xanthophylls, this superior diet includes tryptophan, as methyl ester, and α‐tocopherol.

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“…Colour variation can be a result of simple genetic polymorphisms (Clarke et al, 1963;den Boer, 1971), or under more complex genetic control probably involving several genes (Imura & Shibuya, 1979;Imura, 1980Imura, , 1982Smith et al, 1988;Fink, 1989). Many environmental factors can also influence morph determination, such as humidity, temperature, larval diet (Dupont & Roepke, 1941;Fink, 1989;Grayson & Edmunds, 1989;Greene, 1989a), and the colour of the light perceived by the developing caterpillars (Poulton, 1885a(Poulton, ,b, 1886(Poulton, , 1903Dupont & Roepke, 194 1;Dustmann, 1964;Angersbach, 1975;Smith, 1980;Smith et al, 1988;Grayson & Edmunds, 1989).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of light quality and larval diet on morph induction in the polymorphic caterpillar Nemoria arizonaria (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

Greene

1996

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

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The emerald moth Nemoria arizonaria (Geometridae) is bivoltine, with distinct broods of caterpillars hatching in the spring and summer. Caterpillars of the spring brood develop into mimics of oak catkins, while caterpillars of the summer brood develop into mimics of oak twigs. Previous rearing experiments showed that all caterpillars reared on oak catkins developed into catkin morphs, while all caterpillars reared on oak leaves developed into twig morphs, regardless of temperature or photoperiod. However, those previous rearing experiments did not control the colour of light perceived by the caterpillars independently of their dict. Since wavelengths of light perceived by some species of polymorphic caterpillars can influence their colour, it is possible that morph induction in Nemoria arizonaria is due to the characteristics of light reflected from yellow catkins or green leaves, rather than larval diet itself. The experiments reported here independently varied larval diet and light characteristics to determine if light quality is involved in morph induction. Only larval diet influenced morph induction, since all caterpillars reared on catkins developed into the catkin morph, and all caterpillars reared on oak leaves developed into the twig morph, regardless of whether they perceived yellow light, green light, or were raised in the dark.

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The direction of incident light and its perception in the control of pupal melanization in Pieris brassicae

Cited by 17 publications

References 9 publications

The causes of colour and colour change in caterpillars of the poplar and eyed hawkmoths (Laothoe populi and Smerinthus ocellata)

The causes of colour and colour change in caterpillars of the poplar and eyed hawkmoths (Laothoe populi and Smerinthus ocellata)

Xanthophylls are key constituents of semi‐synthetic diets for continuous breeding of Pieris brassicae without food plant

Effect of light quality and larval diet on morph induction in the polymorphic caterpillar Nemoria arizonaria (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

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