An Opposite Pattern to the Conventional Thermal Hypothesis: Temperature-Dependent Variation in Coloration of Adults of Saccharosydne procerus (Homoptera: Delphacidae)

作者：Yin, Haichen; Shakeel, Muhammad; Kuang, Jing; Li, Jianhong^*

来源：PLos One, 2015, 10(5): e0128859.

DOI：10.1371/journal.pone.0128859

• IMMUNE FUNCTION
• TRADE-OFFS
• CUTICULAR MELANISM
• PEPPERED MOTHS
• RESISTANCE
• MELANIZATION
• PROPHYLAXIS
• EXPRESSION
• THERMOREGULATION
• LEPIDOPTERA

Melanism is a common polymorphism in many insect species that also influences immune function. According to the thermal melanin hypothesis, ectothermic individuals from cooler environments have darker cuticles and higher polyphenol oxidase (PO) levels, which represent a better immunocompetence. In this study, the links among environmental temperature, melanism, and PO activity of Saccharosydne procerus (Matsumura) were examined. Most S. procerus have a black spot on their forewings at high temperatures in the field and in the laboratory. In PO activity assay, a positive association between PO level and temperature was found. Our results showed that a diversification of melanism occurred under different temperatures and that melanism in S. procerus presented an opposite pattern to the one proposed by the thermal hypothesis.

• 出版日期2015-5-29
• 单位华中农业大学; 武汉市农业科学技术研究院蔬菜科学研究所