Abstract
Rearing temperature is correlated with the timing and speed of development in a wide range of poikiloterm animals that do not regulate their body temperature. However, exceptions exist, especially in species that live in environments with high temperature extremes or oscillations. Drosophila pachea is endemic to the Sonoran desert in Mexico, in which temperatures and temperature variations are extreme. We wondered if the developmental timing in D. pachea may be sensitive to differing rearing temperatures or if it remains constant. We determined the overall timing of the Drosophila pachea life-cycle at 25°C and 29°C. The duration of pupal development was similar at both temperatures although the relative progress differed at particular stages. Thus, D. pachea may have evolved mechanisms to buffer temperature influence on developmental speed, potentially to ensure proper development and individual’s fitness in desert climate conditions.
Highlights
In poikilotherms, developmental speed usually increases with rearing temperature
Global pupal development of D. pachea is similar at two different rearing temperatures
Discrete temperature dependent timing differences at specific pupal stages
D. pachea development is longer compared to other Drosophila species
Temperature-buffering mechanisms may have evolved to ensure a proper development
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
Co-authors details: Bénédicte M. Lefèvre, Team “Evolution and Genetics”, Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, UMR7592, Université de Paris, 15 rue Hélène Brion, 75013 Paris; Team “Stem Cells and Tissue Homeostasis”, Institut Curie, CNRS, UMR 3215, INSERM U934, PSL Research University, 26 rue d’Ulm, 75248 Paris Cedex 05; benedictelefevre{at}gmail.com; Michael Lang, Team “Evolution and Genetics”, Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, UMR 7592, Université de Paris, 15 rue Hélène Brion, 75013 Paris; michael.lang{at}ijm.fr;
Conflict of interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.
