Abstract
We compared the quantity and quality of the epicuticular wax of diapause and non-diapause pupae in two closely related Pieris species, P. brassicae and P. rapae crucivora. Main components of their epicuticular wax were identified as hydrocarbons. In P. brassicae, more than 95% of hydrocarbons were saturated regardless of whether the pupae were in diapause or not. In P. rapae crucivora, 93% of hydrocarbons were saturated in non-diapause pupae whereas in diapause pupae 41% were saturated and 59% unsaturated. From measurements of body surface area by nuclear magnetic resonance microimaging, we calculated the average thickness of the wax layer. The thickness in diapause and non-diapause pupae of P. brassicae was 800 and 160 nm, respectively. In P. rapae crucivora, the thickness was 195 nm in diapause and 11 nm in non-diapause. This is the first report to clarify the compositional difference in epicuticular wax between diapause and non-diapause pupae.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Adedokun TA, Denlinger DL (1984) Cold-hardiness: a component of the diapause syndrome in pupae of the flesh flies, Sarcophaga crassipalpis and S. bullata. Physiol Entomol 9:361–364
Bale JS, Walters KFA (2001) Overwintering biology as a guide to the establishment potential of non-native arthropods in the UK. In: Atkinson D, Thorndyke M (eds) Environment and animal development: genes, life histories and plasticity. BIOS Scientific, Oxford, pp 343–354
Bell RA, Nelson DR, Borg TK, Cardwell DL (1975) Wax secretion in non-diapausing and diapausing pupae of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. J Insect Physiol 21:1725–1729
Claret MJ (1966) Mise en evidence du role photorecepteur du cerveau dans l’inductiond de la diapause, chez Pieris brassicae (Lepido.). Ann Endocrinol (Paris) 27:311–320
Coudron TA, Nelson DR (1978) Hydrocarbons in the surface lipids of pupal tobacco bud worms, Heliothis virescens. Insect Biochem 8:59–66
Denlinger DL(1991) Relationship between cold hardiness and diapause In: Lee RE Jr, Denlinger DL (eds) Insects at low temperature. Chapman and Hall, New York, pp 174–198
Feltwell J (1982) Large white butterfly. Junk, The Hague
Gibbs AG (2002) Lipid melting and cuticular permeability: new insight into an old problem. J Insect Physiol 48:391–400
Goodman BA, Gordon SC, Chudek JA, Hunter G, Woodford JAT (1995) Nuclear magnetic resonance microscopy as a non-invasive tool to study the development of lepidopteran pupae. J Insect Physiol 41:419–424
Hachiya K (1997) Large white butterfly (Pieris brassicae L.) newly found invaded in Hokkaido (in Japanese). Plant Prot 51:127–130
Hart AJ, Bale JS, Tuller AG, Worland MR, Walters KFA (2002) Effects of temperature on the establishment potential of the predatory mite Ambliseius lifornicus McGregor (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in the UK. J Insect Physiol 48:593–599
Hegdekar BM (1979) Epicuticular wax secretion in diapause and non-diapause pupae of the bertha armyworm. Ann Entomol Soc Am 72:13–15
Hiraoka T, Katagiri C (1992) Treatment of low density lipophorin with lipoprotein lipase: diacylglycerol content has no effect on dissociation of apolipophorin III from low-density lipophorin. J Biochem 112:689–693
Hiura I (1979) An outline of the genus Pieris (in Japanese). Butterfly 3:1–19
Honma S, Mori K, Samusawa M, Kawada M, Kanda S (1996) Confirmation of the establishment of the large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae, in Japan (in Japanese). jezoensis 23:1–26
Ishii K, Hirai Y, Katagiri C, Kimura MT (2002) Mate discrimination and cuticular hydrocarbons in Drosophila elegans and D. gnungcola. Zool Sci 19:1191–1196
Koidsumi K (1957) Antifungal action of cuticular lipids in insects. J Insect Physiol 1:40–51
Kono Y (1970) Photoperiodic induction of diapause in Pieris rapae crucivora Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Appl Entomol Zool 5:213–224
Kono Y (1973) Difference of cuticular surface between diapause and non-diapause pupae of Pieris rapae crucivora (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Appl Entomol Zool 8:50–52
Kukal O, Duman JG (1989) Switch in the overwintering strategy of two insect species and latitudinal difference in cold hardiness. Can J Zool 67:825–827
National Astronomical Observatory (ed) (2003) Rika Nenpyo (Chronological scientific tables). Maruzen, Tokyo, pp 172–173, 180–181
Tillman JA, Seybold SJ, Jurenka RA, Blomquist GJ (1999) Insect pheromones—an overview of biosynthesis and endocrine regulation. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 29:481–514
Wigglesworth VB (1972) Principles of insect physiology, 7th edn. Chapman and Hall, London
Acknowledgements
This work was supported in part by a Joint Research Program of the Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University (No.02-29). The experiments comply with the current laws of Japan.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kaneko, J., Katagiri, C. Epicuticular wax of large and small white butterflies, Pieris brassicae and P. rapae crucivora: qualitative and quantitative comparison between diapause and non-diapause pupae. Naturwissenschaften 91, 320–323 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-004-0535-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-004-0535-7