Mate choice confers direct benefits to females of Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae)

BACHMANN GUILLERMO; DEVESCOVI, FRANCISCO; NUSSENBAUM, ANA L; MILLA, FABIÁN; SHELLY, TODD E; CLADERA, JORGE L; FERNANDEZ,; VERA, MARÍA T; SEGURA, DIEGO

Tapachula

Simposio; 10th International Symposium on Fruit lies of Economic Importance.; 2018

Background: Exposure to plant compounds and analogues of juvenile hormone (JH) increase male mating success in several species of tephritid fruit flies. Most of these species exhibit a lek mating system, characterized by active female choice. Although the pattern of enhanced male mating success is evident, few studies have investigated what benefits, if any, females gain via choice of exposed males. In the South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus, females mate preferentially with males that were exposed to volatiles released by guava fruit or treated with methoprene (a JH analogue). Here, we tested the hypothesis that female choice confers direct fitness benefits in terms of fecundity and fertility. Methods: First, we carried out mate choice experiments (presenting females with males exposed or not to guava or males treated or not with methoprene) and then compared the fecundity and fertility between females mated with males from the different treatments. Results: We found that A. fraterculus females that mated with males exposed to guava volatile compounds showed higher fecundity than females mated to non-exposed males. Conversely, females that mated methoprene treated males showed no evidence of direct benefits. Conclusion: Female preference for guava-exposed males is based, in part at least, on the strong likelihood for enhanced egg output relative to that realized through matings with non-exposed males. This preference for guava-exposed males represents an adaptive, fitness-based decision. In the case of the methoprene-treated males other types of benefits should be investigated including indirect benefits.