A novel trade-off of insect diapause affecting a sequestered chemical defense.

摘要: Diapause allows insects to temporally avoid conditions that are unfavorable for development and reproduction. However, diapause may incur a cost in the form of reduced metabolic energy reserves, potential fecundity, missed reproductive opportunities. This study investigated hitherto ignored consequence diapause: trade-offs involving sequestered chemical defense. We examined aristolochic acid defenses diapausing non-diapausing pipevine swallowtail butterflies, Battus philenor. Pipevine larvae acquire these from their host plants. Butterflies emerge following pupal have significantly less fat, female fitness correlate, compared those do not diapause. butterflies emerging diapaused pupae more chemically defended undergone Furthermore, confronted with older, lower quality plants on which oviposit. Thus, trade-off exists where greater reserves at defense sub-optimal food resources larvae, or substantially energetic benefit plentiful larval resources.