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

BACHMANN, G.E.; DEVESCOVI, F.; A.L. NUSSENBAUM; F.H. MILLA; SHELLY, TODD E.; CLADERA, J.L.; FERNANDEZ, P.C.; M. T. VERA; D. F. SEGURA

Simposio; 10th International Symposium on Fruit Flies 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. Mostof these species exhibit a lek mating system, characterized by active femalechoice. Although the pattern of enhanced male mating success is evident, fewstudies have investigated what benefits, if any, females gain via choice ofexposed males. In the South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus, females mate preferentially with males thatwere exposed to volatiles released by guava fruit or treated with methoprene (aJH analogue). Here, we tested the hypothesis that female choice confers directfitness benefits in terms of fecundity and fertility. Methods: First, wecarried out mate choice experiments (presenting females with males exposed ornot to guava or males treated or not with methoprene) and then compared thefecundity and fertility between females mated with males from the differenttreatments.Results: We foundthat A. fraterculus females thatmated with males exposed to guava volatile compounds showed higher fecunditythan females mated to non-exposed males. Conversely, females that matedmethoprene treated males showed no evidence of direct benefits. Conclusion: Female preference for guava-exposed males is based, in part at least, onthe strong likelihood for enhanced egg output relative to that realized throughmatings with non-exposed males. This preference for guava-exposed malesrepresents an adaptive, fitness-based decision. In the case of themethoprene-treated males other types of benefits should be investigatedincluding indirect benefits.