Pupal emergence pattern in cactophilic Drosophila and the effect of host plants

PADRÓ, JULIÁN; CARREIRA, VALERIA P.; SOTO, EDUARDO M.; TUERO, DIEGO T.; MILLA CARMONA, PABLO; SOTO, IGNACIO M.

INSECT SCIENCE

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2018 vol. 25 p. 1108 - 1118

1672-9609

Drosophila buzzatii and D. koepferae are sibling cactophilic species. Theformer breeds primarily on prickly pears (genus Opuntia) whereas the latter breeds oncolumnar cacti of the genera Cereus and Trichocereus, although with certain degree ofniche overlapping. We examined the interspecific differences in diurnal temporal patternsof adult emergence from puparia and evaluated whether this behavior is affected by rearingin the different cactus hosts available in nature. We detected important host-dependentgenetic variation for this trait differentially affecting the emergence schedule of thesespecies. Diurnal pattern of emergence time was directly correlated with developmentaltime and negatively correlated with adult wing size, suggesting that early emergencesare at least indirectly correlated with increased fitness. We discussed our results in termsof their putative effects on fitness and the genetic-metabolic pathways that would bepresumably affected by host?s nutritional-chemical differences.