Sexual behaviour of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae): the influence of female size on mate choice

Abstract

Most studies of the sexual behaviour of the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann 1824 (Tephritidae: Ceratitidini) have concentrated on determining which male characteristics influence their copulatory success and little is known about the female’s influence on this process. The present study investigated the influence of female size on the selection of different sized males. The experiments were undertaken using a colony maintained under laboratory conditions for 15 years with the frequent introduction of wild flies. Adults of different sizes (‘larger’ and ‘smaller’) were obtained by providing two groups of larvae with different concentrations of protein (7.0 g of yeast/100 ml of water = high protein content, 3.0 g of yeast/100 ml of water = low protein content). Mate choice tests were performed in a laboratory environment as well as in a field cage, with larger or smaller females being simultaneously exposed to larger and smaller males. The results indicated that in both the laboratory and field cage tests both larger and smaller females preferred mating with larger males. The data is discussed in terms of the possible advantages to the females associated with their choice of males with large body sizes.

Variation in adult sex ratio alters the association between courtship, mating frequency and paternity in the lek‐forming fruitfly Ceratitis capitata

“…This is in contrast to some previous reports where larger males were reported to mate more frequently (Rodriguero et al. , 2002; Anjos‐Duarte et al. , 2011); however, in such studies, which were comparisons between wild and laboratory flies, any effect of body size may often be an artefact of female preference for wild (and typically larger) males (Rodriguero et al.…”

Male diet and age influence to inhibit female remating in Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae)

“…(2009) who showed a greater efficiency of older or intermediate aged males in inhibiting female remating as compared with younger males. Anjos‐Duarte et al. (2010) noted, however, that female medflies mated more with young males (4 days old) than with 12‐ and 20‐day‐old males.…”

“…If the females remate with wild males, however, the efficiency of the SIT will be reduced (Kraaijeveld and Chapman 2004). As females do not distinguish between 4‐ and 12‐day‐old males by their courtship behaviour (Anjos‐Duarte et al. 2010), some considerations concerning the quality control of sterile males can be drawn from the results of this study.…”

Incipient speciation in theAnastrepha fraterculuscryptic species complex: reproductive compatibility betweenA. sp.1 aff.fraterculusandA. sp.3 aff.fraterculus

“…The colors used for each population were interchanged during the testing repetitions. Many previous studies have used this marking technique, which did not result in alterations of fly behavior (e.g., Vera et al., ; Cáceres et al., ; Anjos‐Duarte et al., ). Twenty males and 20 females (Devescovi et al., ) from each population were released into rectangular field cages (2.3 × 1.5 × 2.3 m) containing a potted tree ( Ficus spec.)…”