Eur. J. Entomol. 91 (1): 37-46, 1994
Birth weight and the rate of increase in the cowpea aphid Aphis craccivora (Homoptera: Aphididae)
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Consequences of birth weight for development, survival and fecundity were studied in the offspring of the alate morph Aphis craccivora (Koch), with the aim of testing the hypothesis that birth weight is near optimal. Aphids large at birth were found to mature sooner and achieve higher total reproduction than those born smaller.
A bootstrapping procedure was used to estimate the correlation between birth weight and two measures of fitness (rm): one calculated from unadjusted life-table data, the other from life tables adjusted to correct for the trade-off between offspring weight and offspring number. The unadjusted data yield a highly significant positive correlation - large neonates are fitter than small ones. The correlation estimated from the adjusted life table is no longer significant - mothers producing large offspring are no fitter than those producing small ones.
Keywords: Aphids, fitness, parental investment, optimal birth weight
Accepted: February 10, 1994; Published: April 15, 1994 Show citation
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