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Photoperiod and temperature affect the life cycle of a subtropical cockroach, Opisoplatia orientalis: seasonal pattern shaped by winter mortality

Abstract.  Opisoplatia orientalis is an ovoviviparous cockroach living in the subtropical areas in Japan. Both adults and nymphs overwinter on Hachijo Island (33°N). The nymphs sampled before and after overwintering showed a similar pattern in frequency distribution of head widths with a definite peak of fifth instars. The present study was conducted to determine how this pattern was formed by investigating the effects of photoperiod and temperature on development and reproduction. Photoperiod influenced the number of nymphal instars, resulting in a longer duration of nymphal development at LD 12 : 12 h than at LD 16 : 8 h. However, the rate of development at each instar was only affected to a small extent by photoperiod and no sign of diapause was detected. It was suggested that the photoperiodic response controlling the number of nymphal instars might have evolved to adjust the timing of adult emergence and reproduction to the favourable season. The prereproductive period and time intervals between nymph depositions were prolonged as temperature declined, but there was no evidence for diapause in adults. Mortality occurred in eggs and embryos inside of the body of the females during winter. Thus, it was inferred that female adults would reset ovarian development in spring and deposit nymphs in summer simultaneously, and these nymphs would reach the fifth instar before winter comes. This winter mortality hypothesis was supported by experiments in which reproductive activity and mortality were monitored for field‐collected adults under either constant or changing temperature conditions simulating those in the field.