Studies on insect biochemistry. XIII. Trace elements in some Orthoptera

Abstract

An analysis is made of the bioelements existing in the ashes of two ortopterae of the genuses Aedipode and Dep-ticus, utilizing a semiquantitative spectrographic method with bow arch excitation.

We have established that the percentage of ashes is almost equal in the two insects.

Of the plastic bioelements, Na, Ca, Mg and Si exist in both in high quantities, K and P being somewhat lower in Aedipode. Among the oligoelements, Fe is the most abundant and appears in very high quantities, being followed in proportion by Al.

The remainder are detected in the following order in both insects: Mn > Ti > Sr = Sn = Cr > Mo > Pb > Ni > > Be > Ag although the figures for Ti and Zn are higher in Depticus and those for Ni and Cr in Aedipode.

Finally a comparison is made between these results and those previously obtained in other orthopterae of the genuses Acridium, Aelopus and Calliptamus: the macrocomponents Al, Ca, K, Mg, Nat P and Si are sensibly the same. Coincident to a greater or lasser degree are the contents of Ag, Cr, Mo, Pb and Ti. On the other hand there is a substantial difference between the quantities of Fe and Mn, which are greater in Aedipode and Depticus than in the other three orthopterae mentioned, and those of Ni and Zn, which are, on the contrary, less.