Effect of temperature on pupal development in meal worm Tenebrio molitor L. Arbab Abbas Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Takestan Branch, Takestan, Iran, Email: abbasarbab@hotmail.com Abstract Temperature driven development of the pupa stage of meal worm Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) was examined at eleven constant temperatures (13–38°C± 1°C). Pupae successfully completed development between 13 and 35°C, but with elytra growth affected at high temperatures. Two linear and twelve nonlinear models were fitted to describe developmental rates as a function of temperature and for estimating thermal constant and bioclimatic thresholds-lower (Tmin), optimum (Topt) and upper temperature (Tmax) thresholds for development. The models were evaluated based on R2, R2adj, AIC and RSS. As temperature increased from 13 to 31.5°C, developmental time significantly decreased from 33.14 to 4.75 days and then increased to 6.28 days at 35.5°C. The lower temperature thresholds were 10.62 and 9.44°C, and thermal constants were estimated to be 117.72 and 134.58 degree days using Campbell and Ikemoto-Takai linear models, respectively. The ranges of Topt, Tmax and Tmin estimated were from 34.41 to 35.65ºC, 34.62 to 42.23ºC and 6.56 to 10.82ºC by the nonlinear models, respectively. Among nonlinear models, the Logan 6, Logan 10 and Janisch/Kontodimas models based on the goodness-of-fit criterion and estimated threshold parameters were the best models for the description of temperature-dependent development of pupa. Using developmental models and estimated parameters such as temperature thresholds and optimal temperature might be helpful in improving the mass rearing process. Top Keywords Tenebrio molitor, critical temperature, pupa, developmental rate, time, modeling, thresholds, temperature dependence. Top |