The effect of temperature on the consumption of fat during pupal development in<i>Glossina</i>.

Abstract

The size-specific fat content of tsetse flies recently emerged from their puparia was determined and by comparison with the size-specific fat content of newly deposited larvae an estimate was obtained of the consumption of fat during pupal development. Experiments with Glossina morsitans Westw. were carried out at a number of different temperatures and it was found that the amount of fat consumed was least at temperatures between 22 and 24°C. Knowing the duration of the pupal period at different temperatures, the rate of fat consumption could be calculated and the logarithm of this rate was found to be linearly related to temperature. The occurrence of an optimum temperature in respect of fat consumption thus reflects the fact that at high temperatures the rate of fat consumption is greatly increased without a corresponding reduction in the duration of the pupal period, whereas at low temperatures the pupal period is very greatly lengthened without a corresponding decrease in the rate of fat consumption.