The evolution of a cicannual clock as the optimal life history strategy in the varied carpet beetle

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Larvae of the varied carpet beetle Anthrenus verbasci grow for one to three years or more. The adults emerge in spring every year by controlling with the circannual clock, i.e. a biological clock with a period of about one year. In the present study, the evolution of this circannual clocks was eco-physiologically investigated. In the field researches, the body sizes of the adults showed geographical variation, which was involved in the variation of larval periods. In most population, individuals would have larval periods of 1 and 2 years or 2 and 3 years, i.e. two of three types of life history. In laboratory experiments, the progeny larvae in most of adult pair showed two of three types of life history. The adults might control the larval period by parental investment to egg. Thus, it might be a mixed strategy in the adults. The evolution of a circannual clock of this species having variable long larval periods would be involved in maximizing the fitness by mixed strategy.