A novel technique for identifying the instar of field-collected insect larvae.

ABSTRACT: Many field studies of insects have focused on the adult stage alone, likely because immature stages are unknown in most insect species. Molecular species identification (e.g., DNA barcoding) has helped ascertain the immature stages of many insects, but larval developmental stages (instars) cannot be identified. The identification of the growth stages of collected individuals is indispensable from both ecological and taxonomic perspectives. Using a larval-adult body size relationship across species, I present a novel technique for identifying the instar of field-collected insect larvae that are identified by molecular species identification technique. This method is based on the assumption that classification functions derived from discriminant analyses, performed with larval instar as a re

SUBMITTER: Sasakawa K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3585218 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature