ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES TO EGG-PRODUCTION AND FLIGHT-MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT IN A WING DIMORPHIC CRICKET, MODICOGRYLLUS-CONFIRMATUS

Egg production, flight muscle development and food consumption were co mpared among short-winged, long-winged and artificially de-alated long -winged adults of M. confirmatus. Ovary development and oviposition in short-winged adults were significantly earlier than in long-winged ad ults, but similar to long-winged adults which were de-alated at adult emergence. The dorsolongitudinal muscle in intact long-winged females increased in dry weight by 75% in 5 days after adult emergence, while that of de-alated females decreased by 80% due to histolysis. When giv en no food during the first 5 days after adult emergence, short-winged and de-alated long-winged females developed some eggs and intact long -winged females none. Thus, the former use the energy reserve for repr oduction first while the latter use it for development and maintenance of the thoracic muscles. Under limited food conditions (less-than-or- equal-to 8 mg/day), de-alated long-winged females produced more eggs t han short-winged females, probably because the former could use the nu trient derived from the flight muscle histolysis for egg production. I ntact long-winged females consumed less food than de-alated or short-w inged females. This and flight muscle development may explain the lowe r fecundity during the early stage of adult life in intact long-winged vs de-alated or short-winged crickets.