Insect diapause of very variable duration: the case of the palm nut bruchid Pachymerus nucleorum (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

SummaryData are provided here showing that larval diapause in the tropical palm nut bruchid Pachymerus nucleorum (Fabricius) can extend up to a maximum of about five years, although for most individuals the duration ranges from 15 to 48 months. The data were obtained for insects originating from one source only that were held under one set of temperature and photoperiod conditions only so the wide variation in duration is attributed to maternal control. Staggering the adult emergence times of a parent’s progeny can be regarded as an evolutionary strategy that increases the chance that some at least encounter favourable biotic or abiotic conditions. It is believed that extended diapause may be quite widespread amongst insects, including those of temperate climates.

本数据集所载数据显示：热带棕榈籽象甲（Pachymerus nucleorum (Fabricius)）的幼虫滞育时长最长可达约5年，不过多数个体的滞育时长介于15至48个月之间。本次研究的昆虫样本仅来自单一来源，且所有个体均在统一的温度与光周期条件下饲养，因此滞育时长的显著差异可归因于母本调控。使亲代子代的成虫羽化时间错落分布，可被视为一种进化策略，能够提升至少部分个体遭遇适宜生物或非生物环境的概率。目前认为，延长型滞育在昆虫类群中相当普遍，涵盖温带气候下的昆虫物种。