Causation, fitness effects and morphology of macropterism in Chorthippus parallelus (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

M. G. RITCHIE*, R. K. BUTLIN, G. M. HEWITT

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

ABSTRACT. 1. Chorthippus parallelus (Zett.) displays an apparent‘flight polyphenism’despite the fact that macropterous individuals cannot fly. 2. Photoperiod is used as an environmental cue controlling the polyphenism: long day lengths increasing the proportion of macropterous adults. 3. Macropterous females start mating when older and are less fecund than brachypters. 4. In contrast to other studies the response may not be due to cues associated with a reduced environmental quality and we speculate that macropterism is not a dispersal mechanism in the Gomphocerinae.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)209-218
Number of pages10
JournalEcological Entomology
Volume12
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 1987

Keywords

  • causation
  • Chorthippus parallelus
  • evolution
  • fitness
  • flight polyphenism
  • morphology

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