Life history, dormancy regulation, reproductive physiology and basic behaviour of the subtropical fruit fly Rhagoletotrypeta pastranai (Diptera:Tephritidae)

MOYANO, A.; ABRAHAM, S.; OVRUSKI, S.; VAN NIEUWENHOVE, G.; RULL, J.

BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Año: 2021 vol. 111 p. 238 - 245

0007-4853

With the purpose of broadening knowledge on the evolution of life history strategies andbehaviour of fruit flies within the tribe Carpomyini, the natural history and mating behaviourof the poorly known species Rhagoletotrypeta pastranai Aczél, are described for the first time.Larvae of R. pastranai were recovered from infested Celtis tala Gillies ex Planch and Celtisiguanaea (Jacq.) Sarg. during a 2-month fruiting period. Adults emerged from the recoveredpupae after an average of 144.9 ± 3.9 days for females and 143.2 ± 3.38 days for males, suggestingthat most individuals became dormant. Results of a variable winter length study suggestedthat environmental factors other than winter length may regulate dormancy/diapause durationin this subtropical species. Under laboratory conditions, R. pastranai adults lived anaverage of 51.13 ± 3.06 days in case of females and 48.08 ± 3.76 days in case of males, andrequired 5?15 days to reach sexual maturity. Behavioural observations under confinementrevealed scarce sexual activity but sufficed to determine that, as in other members of thetribe Carpomyini, R. pastranai exhibits a male resource defence mating system. We discussour findings emphasizing the importance of documenting the natural history and behaviourof unknown species of family Tephritidae and additionally, we highlight the necessity of futureresearch to understand factors regulating dormancy/diapause and the evolution of life historystrategies and sexual behaviour of subtropical species.