Measuring and reporting life-cycle duration in insects and arachnids

• Published in: European journal of entomology Vol. 97; no. 3; pp. 285 - 303
• Main Author: Hugh V. DANKS
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Science 01.01.2000
• Subjects: demography; duration; experimental design; insects; instar; life-cycles; mites; rearing; stage; statistics
• ISSN: 1210-5759; 1802-8829
• DOI: 10.14411/eje.2000.046

Some previous work on arthropod development is insufficiently detailed or incompletely reported. Much of the published information in this area is of limited use for the general analysis of life cycles. These difficulties arise primarily because many experiments do not control fully for the strain of the material (and even its specific identity) nor for rearing conditions, do not adequately take account of the complexity of life cycles and their stages, or are restricted to only part of the life cycle. For example, 285such factors as variable numbers of instars, sexual differences, abbreviated or hidden stages and dormancies may mean that the "average durations" reported apply to an unknown mixture of developmental types. Nor are experiments always designed or results reported and analysed in a logical and transparent manner. Undefined terms may obscure what actual developmental intervals were measured. Highly derived developmental or demographic measures may obscure core data. Statistical information may be inadequate. Such pitfalls are reviewed here, suggesting ways to ensure that results on the duration of development are both valid for specific studies and more widely useful. General experimental difficulties, recommended background information that should be provided, recommended life-cycle intervals and their terminology, and recommended ways to report numerical and statistical information are briefly summarized in tabular form.