ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATASE ACTIVITY IN WHOLE BODY AND MITOCHONDRIAL FRACTIONS OF AGEING CARYEDON SERRATUS (COLEOPTERA : BRUCHIDAE)

Adenosine triphosphatase activity is found to undergo an initial increase during the reproductive period followed by decrease during senescent period in both the sexes of a bruchid, C. serratus. The changing pattern of ATPase activity is in line with the sex specific unusual pattern of life duration in this bruchid, i.e. males live longer than the females. The study supports the view that bruchid undergo a natural ageing process inspite of its nonfeeding habit.