Diapause Metabolism and Rearing Methods for the White-Lined Sphinx, Celerio lineata (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)1

Abstract

Recent findings indicate hormones from the braincorpora cardiaca complex may affect respiratory functions of cockroach fat body mitochondria (Keeley and Friedman 1969). A similar situation is seen in diapause which is both hormonally controlled and accompanied by prominent mitochondrial changes. The onset and termination of diapause in insects is regulated by neurosecretions from the brain (Williams 1952, DeWilde and DeBoer 1969), and during diapause, respiratory metabolism decreases to ⅙–1/20 of the normal rate (Schneiderman and Williams 1953, Adkisson et al. 1963, Stegwee 1964). This respiratory decrease is accompanied by both degeneration in mitochondrial ultrastructure and loss of enzymes, especially the cytochromes (Shappirio and Williams 1957, Stegwee 1964, Willis 1966). Because of these large responses, insects in diapause appear to be ideal subjects for studies on hormone-mitochondrial relationships.