Quantitative aspects of the regulation of ovarian development in selected anautogenous Diptera: integration of endocrinology and nutrition

Abstract

Aspects of the influence of nutrition on the degree of ovarian development in selected anautogenous Diptera are reviewed. The Diptera considered are several mosquito species, with emphasis on Aedes aegypti, the house fly, Musca domestica, the Australian bush fly, M. vetustissima and the blowflies, Lucilia cuprina and Phormia regina. All the selected species display discrete ovarian cycles in which all oocytes destined to reach maturity in a particular ovarian cycle develop synchronously. In these species, the proportion of females maturing oocytes and, where such data exist, the number of oocytes they mature are positively correlated with the amount of any particular nitrogen-containing material ingested or given by enema or by infusion. In addition, the degree of ovarian development may be affected by the chemical composition of nitrogen-containing food. Possible physiological bases for the observed relationships are discussed. Available evidence suggests that whether or not a female matures any oocytes is hormonally regulated and that the number of oocytes matured is probably regulated by the availability of nutrients. Some approaches that might further elucidate the physiological regulatory mechanisms involved in ovarian development are outlined.

Nutritional Manipulation of Adult Female <I>Orius pumilio</I> (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) Enhances Initial Predatory Performance

“…We have observed in both O. pumilio (J.P.S. and S. M. Ferkovich, unpublished) and Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Shapiro et al 2000) that ovarian development occurs only with ingestion of protein in the adult stage, corresponding to similar requirements for blood feeders such as anautogenous mosquitoes (Uchida et al 2001, Hernandez-Martinez et al 2007 or some omnivores such as house ßies (Browne 2001). It is likely that predators such as O. pumilio will demonstrate reduced prey-seeking behavior and predatory efÞciency while developing eggs, in favor of increased seeking of oviposition sites.…”

Attraction of Scavenging Chloropid and Milichiid Flies (Diptera) to Metathoracic Scent Gland Compounds of Plant Bugs (Heteroptera: Miridae)

“…The sex-speciÞc attraction to volatiles characteristic of injured or dead insects suggests that the female ßies need a protein-rich meal for maximum fecundity, as do anautogenous mosquitoes (Culicidae) (Browne 2001). Anautogeny, the requirement for a meal of blood or proteinaceous food to produce eggs, is known for species in several other dipteran families, including Muscidae, Calliphoridae, Simuliidae, Psychodidae, Ceratopogonidae, Tabanidae, and Tephritidae (Leprince and Lewis 1983, Magnarelli et al 1984, Vogt and Walker 1987, Adams and Nelson 1990.…”

“…c 1 , Boppre and Pitkin 1988; 2 , this paper; 3 , Sugawara and Muto 1974;4 , Eisner et al 1991;5 , Aldrich and Barros 1995;6 , Hibbard et al 1997;7 , Jantz and Beroza 1967. ton 1995, Cribb 2000, Browne 2001, Cohen and Voet 2002. However, to our knowledge, anautogeny has not been demonstrated for any milichiid or chloropid species, including Hippelates eye gnats, for which only females go to and feed on the mucus of animals (males are attracted to ßowers) (Harwood and James 1979).…”

The Endocrine Basis for Reproductive Life-history Trade-offs during the Previtellogenic Resting Stage in the Yellow Fever Mosquito, Aedes aegypti

“…Although ecdysteroid treatments induce apoptosis and resorption in insects with sequential egg development (thereby directly controlling reproductive output), it has been shown previously by Uchida et al, (1998) in Culex pipiens pipiens and reaffirmed for A. aegypti (Uchida and Moribayashi, 2002) that the ecdysteroid titer itself likely does not regulate the determination of egg number during vitellogenic development in insects with synchronous egg development (Browne, 2001). The failure of ecdysteroid titers to determine egg number suggests that a threshold concentration of ecdysteriods exists that induces resorption in sensitive follicles and that JH during previtellogenic development participates in determining the sensitivity of follicles to ecdysteriods.…”

“…coordinate fecundity) based on blood meal size and previtellogenic reserves? (Lea et al, 1978;Browne, 2001;Mostowy and Foster, 2006) and also 2) how does the mosquito decide which follicles to resorb? (Lea et al,1978;Clements and Boocock, 1984).…”