Hormonal Control of Flight Muscle Histolysis in Dysdercus fulvoniger1,2

Abstract

As in several other species of Dysdercus, the flight muscles of the female of D. fulvoniger (DeGeer) histolyse at onset of vitellogenesis. If its natural food in unavailable, vitellogenesis does not commence, the flight muscles develop, and the insects fly readily. Mating does not initiate histolysis. Active corpora allata implanted into starved (flying) females result in histolysis. Allatectomized females when fed and mated do not undergo muscle histolysis or vitellogenesis. Topical application of synthetic juvenile hormone initiates flight muscle histolysis in starved females and in males. Denervation of the flight muscles results in rapid histolysis. It is concluded that flight muscle histolysis in the female is initiated by the juvenile hormone and that the effect is possibly expressed through the flight motor neurons. The characteristics of the reproductive biology and its relationship to migratory behavior in D. fulvoniger are compared to these phenomena in several other members of the genus.