Manduca sexta pupal orchiectomy: an exploration and application of surgical methods in resource allocation experiments

Abstract

Conducting research on resource allocation is essential to understanding growth, development and the distribution of resources in organisms. Studies have shown that because resources in an organism are limited, they are allocated to certain structures of the body, and tradeoffs are made between these structures, particularly when changes are induced in those organisms. In this study, we investigate how resources are distributed in moths that have undergone pupal orchiectomies (removal of the testes) compared to those that have not, in longevity and dry weight experiments. We find evidence that thorax weights differ between sham and surgery individuals, and that survival differs between individuals with and without testes. Our findings indicate that the distribution of resources is determined by structure size, as opposed to structure proximity.