The effect of temperature on embryogenesis and diapause of Ephemerella ignita (Poda).

The effect of temperature on the duration of embryogenesis, especially on the embryonic diapause of Ephemerella ignita, was investigated in the natural environment and in laboratory experiments. Morphogenesis is blocked by diapause in developmental stage 10 (embryo nearly fully developed, pigmented eye anlagen, no dorsal closure). Diapause is terminated within 12 months only at comparatively low temperatures (from ≦1° C to the range of 13.3 to 16.0° C). Comparatively high temperatures (7.2 and 13.3° C) in the days preceding developmental stage 10 cause an extension of diapause. Stage 4 (polar germ anlage) is less sensitive than later stages to the diapause terminating effects of low temperatures.Postdiapause development to hatching takes place at temperatures ≦4.9 to ≧24.1° C. The developmental time is shortest at temperatures between 19.2 and 24.1° C. The calculated lower temperature limit for development is 3.9° C.Diapause is obligatory with only few exceptions. In field studies egg hibernation was found in nearly all cases. There is a discussion on the importance of these findings for the explanation of the varying developmental cycles of Ephemerella ignita described by different authors.