Interactions between photoperiodism and temperature with respect to the control of dormancy in the adult stage of Pterostichus oblongopunctatus F. (Col., Carabidae) : I. Experiments on gonad maturation under different climatic conditions in the laboratory.

Pterostichus oblongopunctatus belongs to the type of spring breeding carabids with adult hibernation. Ovarian maturation is under the control of photoperiod: the females need a change of day length to mature. The first step of egg maturation (previtellogenesis) is bound to short day, the second step (vitellogenesis) to long day.The short day effect is achieved almost only at temperatures of 10 to 15°C; it is completely suppressed by 20°.The males mature under very different photoperiods and temperatures, but long day diminishes the percentage of mature males slightly, as well as does the higher temperature of 20°C in short day as compared with 15°C.Simulation of climatic conditions as experienced by the beetles from autumn throughout winter until spring in the laboratory showed that a short span of favourable temperatures at short day as experienced in nature in autumn allows the females to accomplish the short day development. But this maturation effect is still more diminished the longer temperatures below 5°C act on the beetles. Following that, a second period of temperatures between 10-15°C must restore the short day maturation effect if full maturity shall be gained in the following long day.The beetles are able to store reserve materials under long day at 20°C. After such a period they are able to have a normal previtellogenesis in spite of a severe shortage of food during short day. These experiments indicate that the failure in short day development outside the temperature range of 10-15°C is not a matter of an especially well balanced over-all metabolism in this favourable temperature range. It seems rather that hormonal systems involved in the short day phase of oogenesis act only within this span of temperature.