How far does exposure to radiation mimic ageing in insects?—I. Life table data from the blowfly, Calliphora erythrocephala

Abstract

Life table data have been obtained from populations of blowfly images ( Calliphora erythrocephala) following various exposures to γ-irradiation, in an attemp to discriminate between ‘precocious ageing’ (Baxter and Blair, 1967), ‘accelerated ageing’ (Lamb and Maynard Smith, 1969) and a ‘specific radiation syndrome’ (Atlan et al., 1969). The results do not support a ‘precocious’ theory of ageing, but fail to distinguish clearly between the other two interpretations; the reasons are discussed.