HORMONAL CONTROL OF REVERSIBLE DEGENERATION OF FLIGHT MUSCLE IN THE COLORADO POTATO BEETLE, LEPTINOTARSA DECEMLINEATA SAY (COLEOPTERA)

Abstract

In the hibernating (diapausing) Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, the flight muscles show pronounced degeneration. The muscle fibrils are greatly reduced in diameter and the sarcosomes are virtually absent. Similar signs of degeneration could be produced by extirpation of the postcerebral complex of endocrine glands, the corpora cardiaca and corpora allata. Reimplantation of active postcerebral complexes resulted in a very rapid regeneration of the muscle fibrils and new formation of sareosomes.

Morphological and functional maturation of a skeletal muscle regulated by juvenile hormone

“…Flight muscles of different insect species undergo degeneration and/or regeneration regulated by JH (Stegwee et al, 1963;Borden and Slater, 1968;Tanaka, 1994). In the colorado potato beetle, flight muscle regeneration, which is initiated by rising JH titers, involves growth of muscle fibres and mitochondria and thus bears some resemblance to the findings of the present study (Stegwee, 1964;de Kort, 1990).…”

Colorado Potato Beetle Resistance to Insecticides

“…After diapause is induced by a short-day photoperiod (De Kort 1990), the beetles may enter the soil for diapause in the potato field or move towards field edges by flight and by walking, presumably orienting towards tall vegetation common in hedgerows (Voss and Ferro 1990;Weber and Ferro 1993;French et al 1993). Upon arrival to overwintering sites, pre-diapause migrants immediately burrow into the soil to diapause (Voss and Ferro 1990), and their flight muscles undergo significant degeneration (Stegwee et al 1963). Although in some areas the majority of beetles aggregate in overgrown areas adjacent to fields where they have spent the previous summer (Weber and Ferro 1993;French et al 1993), a substantial number burrow into the soil directly in the field (French et al 1993).…”

Skeletal Muscle Degeneration and Regeneration in Mice and Flies

“…Rapid flight muscle histolysis also occurs in queen fire ants ( Jones & Davis, 1985) in response to insemination and is protease dependent, with muscle loss apparent by 6 h and completed by 24 h. Hormonal influence has been observed to dictate such degeneration and restoration of flight muscles (Stegwee, Kimmel, de Boer, & Henstra, 1963). The mechanisms of restoration of adult flight muscles are not yet understood.…”