Foraging Behavior of Anastrepha Ludens, A. obliqua, and A. serpentina in Response to Feces Extracts Containing Host Marking Pheromone |
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Authors: | Martin Aluja Francisco Díaz-Fleischer |
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Affiliation: | (1) Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Apartado Postal 63, 91000 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico;(2) Campaña Nacional Contra Moscas de la Fruta, Apartado Postal 368, 30700 Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico;(3) Present address: LABIOTECA, Universidad Veracruzana, Apartado Postal 250, 91090 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico |
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Abstract: | Following oviposition, females of many Tephritid flies deposit host marking pheromones (HMPs) to indicate that the host fruit has been occupied. We describe the foraging behavior of these three economically important species (Anastrepha ludens and A. obliqua from the fraterculus species group and A. serpentina from the serpentina species group) when they encounter an artificial fruit (green agar spheres wrapped in Parafilm) marked with intra- and interspecific feces extracts that contain, among other substances, host marking pheromone. When flies encountered fruit treated with either 1 or 100 mg/ml feces extract, there were drastic and statistically significant reductions in tree residence time, mean time spent on fruit, and in the number of oviposition attempts or actual ovipositions when compared to the control treatment (clean fruit). These responses were almost identical irrespective of extract origin (i.e., fly species), indicating complete interspecific HMP cross-recognition by all three Anastrepha species tested. We discuss the ecological and practical implications of our findings. |
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Keywords: | Anastrepha Tephritidae foraging behavior host marking pheromones infochemicals evolution |
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