Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Acceleration by Ecdysterone of Premoult Substages in the Crayfish

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

AN insect does not enter premoult if its thoracic glands have been removed, nor a crustacean if its y-organs have been removed, but once premoult is under way it continues whether or not the glands are present1,2. This suggests that the hormone secreted by these glands acts merely as a trigger to initiate premoult, and as the injection of ecdysone also initiates premoult, this is the hormone thought to be secreted. Also, the brain-ring gland complex of Calliphora, which contains the homologues of the thoracic glands, has been shown to produce substances similar to ecdysone and crustecdysone3.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Échalier, G., CR Acad. Sci., 238, 523 (1954).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Wigglesworth, V. B., The Physiology of Insect Metamorphosis (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1954).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Willig, A., Rees, H. H., and Goodwin, T. W., J. Insect Physiol., 17, 2317 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Williams, C. M., Biol. Bull., 134, 344 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Karlson, P., and Sekeris, C. E., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 63, 489 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kobayashi, M., and Kimura, S., J. Insect Physiol., 13, 545 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Judy, K. J., Science, 165, 1374 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Reinecke, J. P., and Robbins, J. D., Exp. Cell Res., 64, 335 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Fraenkel, G., and Hsiao, C., J. Insect Physiol., 13, 1387 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Krishnakumaran, A., and Schneiderman, H. A., Biol. Bull., 139, 520 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Warner, A. C., and Stevenson, J. R., Gen. Comp. Endocrinol., 18, 454 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lowe, M. E., and Horn, D. H. S., in Physiological Systems in Semiarid Environments (edit. by Hoffman, C. C.), 155 (Univ. New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, 1969).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Shaaya, E., and Karlson, P., J. Insect Physiol., 11, 65 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Shaaya, E., and Karlson, P., Dev. Biol., 11, 424 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Adelung, D., Zool. Anz., 30, Suppl. 264 (1967).

  16. Adelung, D., Z. Naturforsch., 24 b, 1447 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Faux, A., and Horn, D. H. S., Chem. Commun., 175 (1969).

  18. Connell, P. A. M., thesis, Tulane University (1970).

  19. Lowe, M. E., Horn, D. H. S., and Galbraith, M. N., Experientia, 24, 518 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Ohtaki, T., Milkman, R. D., and Williams, C. M., Biol. Bull., 135, 322 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Nakanishi, K., Moriyama, H., Fujioka, S., and Koreeda, M., Science, 176, 52 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Van Harreveld, A., Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. Med., 34, 428 (1936).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Stevenson, J. R., Crustaceana, 14, 169 (1968).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Stevenson, J. R., Guckert, R. H., and Cohen, J. D., Biol. Bull., 134, 160 (1968).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Stevenson, J. R., Amer. Zool., 12, 373 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, 44242

    J. R. STEVENSON & J. A. TSCHANTZ

Authors
  1. J. R. STEVENSON
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. A. TSCHANTZ
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

STEVENSON, J., TSCHANTZ, J. Acceleration by Ecdysterone of Premoult Substages in the Crayfish. Nature 242, 133–134 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/242133a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/242133a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation