Fernando
Full Member
Learning...
Posts: 187
|
Post by Fernando on Apr 18, 2011 14:35:20 GMT -8
Dear people,
Is there a way to determine sex visually in lepidoptera larvae?
It's rather obvious in some species like the ones in the Polythysana genus, as males are way smaller than females, and you can note that in L4/L5 caterpillars, but what happens in species that size differences aren't that marked?
|
|
|
|
Fernando
Full Member
Learning...
Posts: 187
|
Post by Fernando on Apr 19, 2011 19:14:39 GMT -8
No one?  |
|
|
|
Post by Chris Grinter on Apr 19, 2011 19:34:27 GMT -8
Other than size in a few cases... I am unaware of any way to ever tell them apart. Don't think there is one, just have to wait and see!
|
|
|
|
Post by africaone on Apr 19, 2011 22:26:05 GMT -8
never heard about a method for sexing caterpillar. Even size is not always sure !
|
|
Fernando
Full Member
Learning...
Posts: 187
|
Post by Fernando on Apr 20, 2011 5:03:53 GMT -8
I see. So the only way would be dissecting the poor caterpillar? :/
|
|
|
|
Post by wollastoni on Apr 20, 2011 5:10:00 GMT -8
I have one 100% sure technique : wait it become a butterfly...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post by Chris Grinter on Apr 20, 2011 16:42:53 GMT -8
I don't even know if dissecting would help. By definition a caterpillar is the non-reproductive stage, no sex organs have matured. It might be really really hard if even possible!
I think the only way is doing the DNA - figuring out the chromosomes.
|
|
|
|
Post by africaone on Apr 20, 2011 22:39:32 GMT -8
i don't undesrtand why sexing caterpillar ! What is the aim  ps : dissecting them will be a problem to obtain adult  !! |
|
Fernando
Full Member
Learning...
Posts: 187
|
Post by Fernando on Apr 21, 2011 5:38:02 GMT -8
i don't undesrtand why sexing caterpillar ! What is the aim It's just a question out of curiosity. |
|
|
|
Post by Adam Cotton on Apr 21, 2011 7:52:09 GMT -8
I'm not sure exactly the difference, but there is a sexual difference in the genitalia of Lepidopteran larvae, just as there is in the pupae. It should be possible to sex larvae by examining their rear end, if you can keep them still enough. I sex my Papilio pupae just by examining the genitalia, the female pupa has an extra groove in the last abdominal segment which is absent in the male pupa. This link illustrates the difference for monarch pupae: www.butterflyboutique.net/articles/articles_sexing-monarch-pupae_nv.htmlAdam. |
|
|
|
Post by africaone on Apr 21, 2011 9:41:35 GMT -8
aren't adult sex organs from the imaginal disc ?
if yes, then I presume that sexual characters aren't visible externally (caterpillar) !
(ps : that doesn't exclude the possibilty to sex pupas, well known by breeders)
|
|
|
|
Post by bluemoth on Apr 21, 2011 14:27:16 GMT -8
I have been rearing Buckeye butterflies and 5th instar larva of this species can be sexed. Males have a smaller head than female larva. Male larva are a little less bulky than females. This is the only butterfly I know of that this can be done with. How ever with other leps males may be noticeably smaller in size in the 5th in star than females.
|
|
Fernando
Full Member
Learning...
Posts: 187
|
Post by Fernando on Apr 21, 2011 15:57:11 GMT -8
bluemoth: That's very interesting. Something similar happens in the case of Polythysana cinerascens. A fully developed male L5 larva is about the same size than a female L4 larva about to moult into L5.
|
|
!! 
