Larval Photoperiod and Metabolic Rate in Drosophila melanogaster

The metabolic rate of adult Drosophila melanogaster Meigen is partially determined by larval photoperiod. Generally, flies reared in a short-day environment have higher whole-animal and weight-specific metabolic rates than do flies reared under long-day conditions. The effect of photoperiod on metabolic rate may help explain why short-day flies develop faster and have higher Malthusian fitness than do long-day flies. The photoperiod effect may also facilitate the maintenance of viable populations in seasonally variable environments.