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Konchu | April 29th, 2007, 8:09 pm | |
Site Editor IndianaPosts: 505 | What might eliminate the spinner state? Hmmmm... Perhaps some efficient predator eats the winged stages. Those individuals that released eggs the soonest would be selected "for." This is because those that tend to deposit eggs later in life never make it that far and are selected "against." Those that live reproduce and pass on their genes. | |
Quillgordon | April 30th, 2007, 5:10 am | |
Schuylkill County, PA. Posts: 109 | Perhaps some efficient predator eats the winged stages. Those individuals that released eggs the soonest would be selected "for." This is because those that tend to deposit eggs later in life never make it that far and are selected "against." Those that live reproduce and pass on their genes. At the present(correct me if I'm wrong), the sexual organs are not fully developed until the last molt or spinner stage. So the above senerio would still occur in the imago state not the subimago state. What I meant was ...... could there be 'selection processes' that cause the subimago to emerge as a fully developed adult that could mate ( in a short amount of time), so it would not have to further molt into what we see as a spinner? I guess I'm trying to make an analogy to caddis flies! They emerge as fully developed adults capable of mating. | |
Flyfishing is a state of mind! .............. Q.g. C/R........barbless | ||
Troutnut | April 30th, 2007, 6:46 am | |
Administrator Bellevue, WAPosts: 2737 | At the present(correct me if I'm wrong), the sexual organs are not fully developed until the last molt or spinner stage. I'm not sure if that's true. The organs certainly aren't in their final form in the dun stage, but maybe they're fully developed and just compressed within the dun's packaging until the molt. I know that's the case with the long fore legs of male spinners, but I don't know about the reproductive organs. Maybe one of the real entomologists can answer that one. In other words, I'm not sure if there's actual growth/development during the dun stage, or if everything is grown in the nymph and just waiting to be used. The reproductive organs aren't the only reason for mayflies to turn into spinners before trying to mate, though. Spinners have several other useful adaptations, like the longer legs on the males, which are handy for grasping the females mid-flight. Spinners are also much better at flying than duns, which makes them harder to catch, which is good because they spend so much more time in the air than duns. It's also useful because they have to maneuver to link up with mates. I wouldn't be surprised if their eyesight is better, too. What I meant was ...... could there be 'selection processes' that cause the subimago to emerge as a fully developed adult that could mate ( in a short amount of time), so it would not have to further molt into what we see as a spinner? Yes, there could! Females in the Ephoron genus ("White Flies") mate and die as duns. | |
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D. Troutnut and salmonid ecologist | ||
Quillgordon | April 30th, 2007, 2:00 pm | |
Schuylkill County, PA. Posts: 109 | Jason, When I said the males are not fully developed , I was basing it on this: Although all female mayflies are evidently sexually mature I like the fact that mayflies are unique. I don't think we will see any further change in our lifetime! John.... | |
Flyfishing is a state of mind! .............. Q.g. C/R........barbless | ||
Troutnut | May 2nd, 2007, 2:45 pm | |
Administrator Bellevue, WAPosts: 2737 | Good work! You've got the answer, then. I knew about the legs and wings being prepackaged, but didn't realize the important parts are still growing in the dun. | |
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D. Troutnut and salmonid ecologist | ||
Quillgordon | May 2nd, 2007, 4:33 pm | |
Schuylkill County, PA. Posts: 109 | Jason, Maybe this would be a good subject for a paper by someone getting a degree in 'Entomology'. Cheers..... | |
Flyfishing is a state of mind! .............. Q.g. C/R........barbless | ||
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