The influence of the ability to disperse on generation length and population size in the flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum

1991 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
RACHEL BEN-SHLOMO ◽  
UZI MOTRO ◽  
UZI RITTE
1980 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Wade

SUMMARYIn this paper I present the results of an experimental study of the effects of genotype and density on the mean and variance of offspring numbers in both sexes of the flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. From the observed variance in offspring numbers the effective population size at several different densities is estimated using the methods of Crow & Morton (1955).I found that both the mean and variance of offspring numbers varied with genotype and density. In general, males were more variable in offspring numbers than females and this variability increased with density. Individuals homozygous for the black body colour mutant, b/b, were less variable in offspring numbers than + / + individuals, but the latter produced more offspring at most densities. As density increased, + / + individuals became more variable in offspring numbers whereas b/b individuals were less sensitive in this regard. These findings are discussed in relation to the ecology of selection at the black and closely linked loci.


1996 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie A. Pray ◽  
Charles J. Goodnight ◽  
Lori Stevens ◽  
James M. Schwartz ◽  
Guiyun Yan

SummaryDespite the increasing number of studies on the magnitude of Ne/N ratios, much remains unknown about the effects of demographic and environmental variables on Ne/N. We determined Ne/N for seven population size treatments, ranging from N = 2 to N = 960, in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. Ne/N decreased with increasing N, as evidenced by a significant negative relationship between log N and Ne/N. Our results are consistent with other published data on the relationship between Ne/N and N. Effective population sizes in large populations may be much smaller than previously recognized. These results have important implications for conservation and evolutionary biology.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ihab Alnajim ◽  
Manjree Agarwal ◽  
Tao Liu ◽  
YongLin Ren

Background: The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is one of the world’s most serious stored grain insect pests. A method of early and rapid identification of red flour beetle in stored products is urgently required to improve control options. Specific chemical signals identified as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that are released by the beetle can serve as biomarkers. Methods: The Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME) technique and the analytical conditions with GC and GCMS were optimised and validated for the determination of VOCs released from T. castaneum. Results: The 50/30 μm DVB/CAR/PDMS SPME fibre was selected for extraction of VOCs from T. castaneum. The efficiency of extraction of VOCs was significantly affected by the extraction time, temperature, insect density and type of SPME fibre. Twenty-three VOCs were extracted from insects in 4 mL flask at 35 ± 1°C for four hours of extraction and separated and identified with gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The major VOCs or chemical signals from T. castaneum were 1-pentadecene, p-Benzoquinone, 2-methyl- and p-Benzoquinone, 2-ethyl. Conclusion: This study showed that HS-SPME GC technology is a robust and cost-effective method for extraction and identification of the unique VOCs produced by T. castaneum. Therefore, this technology could lead to a new approach in the timely detection of T. castaneum and its subsequent treatment.


Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
pp. 417-426
Author(s):  
Richard W Beeman ◽  
M Scott Thomson ◽  
John M Clark ◽  
Marco A DeCamillis ◽  
Susan J Brown ◽  
...  

Abstract A recently isolated, lethal mutation of the homeotic Abdominal gene of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum is associated with an insertion of a novel retrotransposon into an intron. Sequence analysis indicates that this retrotransposon, named Woot, is a member of the gypsy family of mobile elements. Most strains of T. castaneum appear to harbor ~25-35 copies of Woot per genome. Woot is composed of long terminal repeats of unprecedented length (3.6 kb each), flanking an internal coding region 5.0 kb in length. For most copies of Woot, the internal region includes two open reading frames (ORFs) that correspond to the gag and pol genes of previously described retrotransposons and retroviruses. The copy of Woot inserted into Abdominal bears an apparent single frameshift mutation that separates the normal second ORF into two. Woot does not appear to generate infectious virions by the criterion that no envelop gene is discernible. The association of Woot with a recent mutation suggests that this retroelement is currently transpositionally active in at least some strains.


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