Feeding on methoprene increases male accessory gland size and body protein in the Mexican fruit fly

Abstract Mating and receiving ejaculate can alter female insect physiology and postcopulatory behaviour. During mating, females receive both internal and external stimuli and different components in the ejaculate. In insects, these components consist mostly of sperm and male accessory gland secretions. Some of the most important changes associated with receiving male accessory gland secretions are a reduction in female sexual receptivity and an increase in oviposition. However, a clear function for these molecules has not been found in the Mexican fruit fly Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Here, we tested how the stimulus of mating, receiving a full ejaculate, or only receiving accessory gland secretions can influence ovarian development and oviposition. Our results indicate that the stimulus of mating per se is enough to induce oviposition and increase egg laying in females even if ejaculate is not received, whereas receiving only accessory gland secretions does not increase ovarian development and is not enough to induce oviposition or increase egg production. Further research on the internal and external copulatory courtship of A. ludens will increase our understanding of the role of these secretions in stimulating oviposition independent of ejaculate effects. A biological function for male accessory gland secretions on female behaviour for A. ludens still needs to be found.

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PHYSIOLOGY OF MATING BEHAVIOR IN MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLY (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE): CHEMORECEPTION AND MALE ACCESSORY GLAND FLUIDS IN FEMALE POST-MATING BEHAVIOR

Florida Entomologist ◽

10.1653/0015-4040(2002)085[0089:pombim]2.0.co;2 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 85 (1) ◽

pp. 89-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

E. B. Jang

Keyword(s):

Mating Behavior ◽

Fruit Fly ◽

Accessory Gland ◽

Mediterranean Fruit Fly ◽

Male Accessory Gland

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Commodity Heating Medium and Mexican Fruit Fly Mortality

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.33.3.533e ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 533e-533

Author(s):

Krista C. Shellie

Keyword(s):

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Variable Temperature ◽

Larval Mortality ◽

Fruit Fly ◽

Hot Water ◽

Water Bath ◽

Controlled Atmosphere ◽

Mexican Fruit Fly ◽

Temperature Water ◽

Heating Medium

The objective of this research was to investigate whether the medium used to transfer heat to a commodity influenced the mortality of Mexican fruit fly larvae. A similar 2-h heat dose was delivered to grapefruit via immersion in a variable temperature water bath or via exposure to a rapidly circulating gas. The concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide inside the grapefruit was analyzed at 30-min intervals and grapefruit center temperatures recorded every 60 s during heating. The mortality of larvae located inside grapefruit during heating in a controlled atmosphere or in hot water was significantly higher than that of larvae located inside grapefruit heated in air. The internal atmosphere of grapefruit heated in a controlled atmosphere or in hot water contained significantly higher levels of carbon dioxide and lower levels of oxygen than grapefruit heated in air. Larval mortality was compared after larvae were heated in media by rapidly circulating air or by an atmosphere containing 4 kPa of oxygen and 18 kPa of carbon dioxide to evaluate whether the altered atmosphere or a heat-induced fruit metabolite was responsible for enhanced mortality. The significantly higher mortality of larvae heated in media in the presence of an altered atmosphere suggested that the altered atmosphere enhanced larval mortality. Results from this research suggest that reducing oxygen and or increasing the level of carbon dioxide during heating can enhance mortality of the Mexican fruit fly and potentially reduce the heat dose required for quarantine security.

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