Phase polyphenism in locusts: factors inducing gregarization

沙漠蝗对种群密度或拥挤的反应表现出阶段多型性。在这项研究中，我们研究了控制后代的大小和颜色，以及若虫的体色和群居行为的因素，在这蝗虫了解的机制控制相位多型。拥挤诱导相依赖的变化，在这蝗虫的身体颜色和行为。我们发现，视觉刺激单独可以诱导绿色孤雌鱼发展黑色模式。我们还发现，短至1天的拥挤可以导致绿色独居的3龄幼虫发展黑色图案。第三龄孤立的蝗虫，通常避免其他个人，需要2天的拥挤开始被吸引到其他个人。这些发现将提供一个很好的分析系统，以检查潜在的遗传机制，调节相位多型在这蝗虫。

The desert locust exhibits phase polyphenism in response to population density or crowding. In this study we examined the factors controlling progeny size and color as well as nymphal body color and gregarious behavior in this locust to understand the mechanism controlling the phase polyphenism. Crowding induces phase-dependent change in body color and behavior in this locust. We found that visual stimuli alone can induce green solitarious nymphs to develop black patterns. We also found that as short as 1 day of crowding can cause green solitarious 3rd instar nymphs to develop black patterns. Third instar isolated nymphs, which normally avoid other individuals, required 2 days of crowding to start being attracted to other individuals. These findings would provide an excellent assay system to examine the underlying genetic mechanism regulating the phase polyphenism in this locust.