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Haemolymph pigment composition as a chemometric indicator of phase in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Hassane Mahamat ,
Ahmed Hassanali  and
David Munyinyi
Hassane Mahamat*
Affiliation:
The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772 Nairobi, Kenya
Ahmed Hassanali
Affiliation:
The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772 Nairobi, Kenya
David Munyinyi
Affiliation:
The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772 Nairobi, Kenya
*
*Corresponding author: HM.
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Abstract

The blue biliverdin pigment in the haemolymph of Schistocerca gregaria Forskål (Orthoptera: Acrididae) was shown to be associated with all the stages and ages of the solitary-reared (solitarious) insects, irrespective of their origin or diet. The pigment was absent or present in very small quantities in the crowd-reared (gregarious) insects. The ratio of absorbance at 460 nm and 680 nm, the former representing the λmax for the carotenoid pigment and the latter for the biliverdin, provides a clear-cut index for partitioning the phases. The mean value of the index for the gregarious group fell in the range 3.69 to 4.78. That of the solitarious group ranged from 0.64 to 1.67. The absorbance ratio at 460/680 nm appears to represent a simple and convenient means of differentiating the two phases of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria.

Résumé

La biliverdine un pigment bleu de l'haemolymphe du Schistocerca gregaria Forskål (Orthoptera: Acrididae) à été associée avec les differents stades de developpement et l'age des insectes elévés en solitaires, independament de leur origine et alimentation. Le pigment était absent ou en faible quantité chez les insectes elévés en groupe (gregaires). Le rapport d'absorbance à 460 nm et 680 nm representant λmax pour les carotinoides et la biliverdine fournit un index de separation des phases. La valeur moyenne de l'index pour le groupe gregaire se trouve entre 3,69 et 4,78. Cette du groupe solitaire était entre 0,64 et 1,67. Le rapport de l'absorbance à 460/680 nm representa une methode simple et utile pour différentier entre les deux phases du criquet pèlerin Schistocerca gregaria.

Keywords

Schistocerca gregariadesert locustsolitariousgregarioushaemolymph pigmentsbiliverdincarotenoid pigmentsbiliproteinphase polymorphismSchistocerca gregariacriquet pèlerinsolitairegregairepigments de l'haemolymphebiliverdinecarotinoidesbiliprotéinespolymorphisme des phases
Type
Research Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , June 1997 , pp. 199 - 204
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1997

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