Biological Differences Between Strains of Tribolium Castaneum Selected for Resistance to Hypoxia and Hypercarbia, and the Unselected Strain
E . DONAHAYE
Agricultural Research Organization, Bet Dagan, Israel
Abstract: A strain of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) was selected separately for resistance to hypoxia and hypercarbia. At the 21st generation, adults and pupae of the line selected for resistance to hypoxia were significantly heavier than those selected for resistance to hypercarbia and the unselected line. It also exhibited a more prolonged developmental range than the unselected line. The line selected for resistance to hypercarbia was also significantly heavier than the unselected line. When the selected and unselected lines were subjected to starvation at the 26th generation, metabolism in both selected lines proceeded at a lower rate than in the unselected line and consequently the selected lines survived for much longer periods.
Key Words: Tribolium, flour beetle, resistance, hypoxia, hypercarbia.
