Feeding period, growth, and pupation in larvae ofdrosophila melanogaster
1959
Bakker, K.
Food uptake of Drosophila melanogaster larvae was limited by removing larvae from the food after different periods. Some of these larvae were transferred to culture jars -without food to study further development. The minimal feeding period necessary to complete development was 48 hours at 25°C; the larvae must have reached the third instar. Mortality of larvae with feeding periods of 40 hours or more was low. Pupa***rium formation was retarded only in larvae with a feeding period of 48 hours. Sex ratio of emerging adults was not influenced by underfeeding. Weight of adults was taken twice: alive and dried. Females were always somewhat heavier than males. Underfeeding may produce adults with weights only 1/4 to 1/5 of the normal weight. The larvae removed from the food at different intervals were weighed alive and dried, and a growth curve was thus constructed. Increase in live weight was observed until 72 hours after hatching, whereas dry weight reached its maximum after 84 hours. The difference is due to water loss preceding puparium formation. During the pupal stage a slight decrease in dry weight is noted, presumably caused by metabolism. During the starvation period between removal from the food and puparium formation, a loss of weight is found which depends on the duration of the starvation period.
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