Eur. J. Entomol. 94 (1): 105-109, 1997
Trade-off between reproduction and length of adult life in males and mating females of aphids
- N/A
Males of the willow-carrot aphid, Cavariella aegopodii (Scopoli) (Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae), that were caged with five or more females had shorter adult lives than those caged with one or no females. Similarly mated females had a shorter adult life than unmated females. The difference in lifespan appears to result from a change in the time of onset of senescence rather than a change in the rate of senescence. Contrary to what is observed in most other animals unmated males of the willow-carrot aphid had much longer lives than unmated females. The asymmetry of the sexes in terms of the factors that affect their fitnesses and the deadline to further egg maturation imposed by leaf fall possibly accounts for why the males of this aphid are potentially the longer lived sex.
Keywords: Aphids, Cavariella aegopodii, cost of reproduction, length of adult life, sexuals
Accepted: February 15, 1996; Published: March 10, 1997 Show citation
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