Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

How are Insect Circadian Rhythms Controlled?

Abstract

A review of available evidence—mostly involving the cockroach—suggests that insect circadian rhythms are not controlled primarily by hormones. The primary pace-maker seems rather to be electrical, acting through the ventral nerve cord.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Harker, J. E., The Physiology of Diurnal Rhythms (Cambridge University Press, 1964).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Harker, J. E., Nature, 173, 689 (1954); Nature, 175, 733 (1955); J. Exp. Biol., 33, 224 (1956).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Harker, J. E., Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol., 25, 279 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Roberts, S. K., J. Cell. Comp. Physiol., 55, 99 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Roberts, S. K., Science, 148, 958 (1965).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Roberts, S. K., J. Cell. Physiol., 67, 473 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Brady, J., J. Exp. Biol., 47, 153 (1967); J. Exp. Biol., 47, 165 (1967).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Brady, J., J. Insect Physiol., 13, 201 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Brady, J., and Maddrell, S. H. P., Z. Zellforsch., 76, 389 (1967); Finlayson, L. H., and Osborne, M. P., J. Insect Physiol., 14, 1793 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Nishiitsutsuji-Uwo, J., Petropulos, S. F., and Pittendrigh, C. S., Biol. Bull. Wood's Hole, 133, 679 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Nishiitsutsuji-Uwo, J., and Pittendrigh, C. S., Z. Vergl. Physiol., 58, 1 (1968); Z. Vergl. Physiol., 58, 14 (1968).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Brown, R. H. J., and Unwin, D. M., J. Insect Physiol., 7, 203 (1961).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hodgson, E. S., Gen. Comp. Endocrinol., Suppl. 1, 180 (1962).

  14. Klug, H., Wiss. Z. Humboldt-Univ. Berl., 8, 405 (1958).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Rensing, L., Science, 144, 1586 (1964); Rensing, L., Thach, B., and Bruce, V., Experientia, 21, 103 (1965).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Rensing, L., Union Intern. Sci. Biol., 4, 37 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Cymborowski, B., and Dutkowski, A., Bull. Acad. Pol. Sci. Cl.II, 16, 497 (1968); J. Insect Physiol., 15, 1187 (1969).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Willey, R. B., J. Morphol., 108, 219 (1961).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Wigglesworth, V. B., J. Exp. Biol., 17, 201 (1940).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Wigglesworth, V. B., The Principles of Insect Physiology, sixth ed. 172 (Methuen, London, 1965); Huber, F., in The Physiology of Insecta (edit. by Rockstein, M.), 2, 333 (Academic Press, New York, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Smith, U., thesis, Univ. Cambridge (1967); Raabe, M., CR Acad. Sci., 257, 1804 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Neville, A. C., J. Insect Physiol., 13, 933 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Horridge, G. A., in Structure and Function in the Nervous System of Invertebrates (edit. by Bullock, T. H. and Horridge, G. A.), 2, 833 and 1077 (Freeman, San Francisco, 1965). Weber, H., Lehrbuch der Entomologie, 268 (Fischer, Jena, 1933).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Johnson, B., and Bowers, B., Science, 141, 264 (1963).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Strumwasser, F., in Circadian Clocks (edit. by Aschoff, J.), 442 (North-Holland Publishing Co. Amsterdam, 1965). Jaddet, J. W., Science, 164, 562 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  26. Rao, K. P., and Gropalakrishnareddy, T., Nature, 213, 1047 (1967); Fowler, D. J., and Goodnight, C. J., Amer. Zool., 6, 187 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. Stumm-Zollinger, E., J. Exp. Zool., 134, 315 (1957).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Scharrer, B., Biol. Bull. Woods Hole, 102, 261 (1952).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. van der Kloot, W. G., Amer. Zool., 1, 3 (1961).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. van der Kloot, W. G., Ann. Rev. Entomol., 5, 35 (1960); Carlisle, D. B., and Ellis, P. E., Nature, 220, 706 (1968).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

BRADY, J. How are Insect Circadian Rhythms Controlled?. Nature 223, 781–784 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/223781a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/223781a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing