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Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera) - an experimental model species: A review

2013; Institute of Entomology; Volume: 90; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

1802-8829

Radomı́r Socha,

Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research

The red firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus (L.), has been a convenient model for biological research for a long time. The interest in P. apterus increased especially with the discovery in the mid-1960's of the so-called ''paper factor'', i.e., a substance with juvenile hormone activity. Considerable research has been done on this model insect in research topics such as biogeography, embryology, developmental and reproductive biology, theoretical and applied endocrinology, biochemistry, cytogenetics and formal genetics, bionomics, ethology, pathology, voltinism, diapause, wing polymorphism, migration, pathogens, symbiotes and predators. Some of the newest studies are directed toward the problems of determination of metameric pattern, cold hardiness and biorhythms. Present review provides the first selective summary of data published in almost 300 papers.