Ocelli and octopamine and their effects on cabbage looper moth flight activity

The roles of ocelli and octopamine in regulating the onset, intensity, and duration of cabbage looper moth flight activity were examined. This was achieved by studying the flight activity of control, sham, and anocellate moths with and without octopamine treatment. Sham and anocellate moths were produced by cauterization in last-instar larvae, of ocellar primordial cells for anocellate moths, and of non-involved cells for sham moths. Flight activity of moths was monitored by a computerized actograph under normal light (LD) conditions, under advanced-sunset, and under constant dark (DD) conditions to determine the effect of ocelli on flight activity. The role of octopamine was investigated by treating the three groups of moths topically with octopamine dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and with DMSO alone, and comparing flight activity before and after treatment. Results support a combined role for ocelli and the compound eyes in determining flight initiation times, and a role for ocelli in determining flight intensity. These roles were more pronounced in males than in females. It was found that the cauterization operation itself decreases flight activity in sham moths. No evidence was found that supports the existence of an octopamine effect on flight activity in any of the groups of moths when octopamine is topically applied.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Entomology

Department dc:contributor.department

Entomology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1985

Author dc:creator

• Sprint, Michelle M.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/71341

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/71341