Inheritance of a temperature-modified phenotype of the short antennae (sa)mutation in a moth, Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae)

The autosomal recessive mutation short antennae (sa) causes considerable sh ortening of antennae in male and female Mediterranean flour moths (Ephestia kuehniella Zeller). However, the sa phenotype can be suppressed by several physical factors, making sa moths indistinguishable from wild-type moths ( sa(WT)). This can be done by subjecting larva and pupa to a higher temperat ure (25 degreesC), to lithium ions, or to an alternate electric field. The first half of pupal development was found to be the sensitive period for th e sa(WT) phenotype. The sa(WT) phenotype is stable and cannot be reverted t o the original sa type by physical or chemical factors. The sa(WT) phenotyp e is transmitted to future generations. When crossed with typical sa moths, the sa(WT) phenotype is inherited either as a dominant character if carrie d by males or a semidominant character if carried by females. We compared p roteins of the ejaculate, accessory gland secretions, and spermatophore in sa, sa(WT), and wild-type males and found: considerable differences between sperm proteins of sa(WT), sa, and wild-type males. The sa(WT) phenotype in fluences the mating success of males: sa(WT) males mated successfully with any females, whereas typical sa mates were less successful in mating and th en mainly with females of the same phenotype.