Quantitative genetic variation of metabolism in the nymphs of the sand cricket, Gryllus firmus, inferred from an analysis of inbred-lines.
Compared with morphological and life history traits, quantitative genetic variation of metabolic and related traits in animals has been poorly studied. We used flow-through VCO(2) respirometry and simultaneous activity measurement on nymphs of the sand cricket (Gryllus firmus) from inbred lines to estimate broad-sense heritability of four metabolic variables. In addition, we measured a number of linear dimensions in the adults from the same inbred lines. There were significant multivariate effects of inbred lines for all traits and broad-sense heritability for physiological traits was 4.5%, 5.2%, 10.3% and 8.5% for average, resting, minimum and maximum CO(2) production in nymphs, respectively. Though the MANOVA indicated significant genetic variation among inbred lines in adult morphology, the broad-sense heritabilities were relatively low ranging from 0-18%. Our results indicate that the heritabilities of metabolic measures are large enough to potentially respond to selection.
Instituto de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
Roberto F
RF
Nespolo
Luis E
LE
Castañeda
Derek A
DA
Roff
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006135:Gryllidae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D007178:Inbreeding; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism