The relevance of age and nutritional status on the mating competitiveness of medfly males (Diptera: Teprhitidae)

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Results of previous investigations trying to ascertain which physiological factors are more important to the mating success of medfly males are controversial. In part, this controversy owes to the fact that each factor was evaluated by an independent study using different experimental designs and populations. In the present study we compare the roles of age and nutritional status (immature and adult phases) on the mating competitiveness of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) males. Three parameters were used to evaluate the male mating success: calling behavior (pheromone emission), lek participation and copulation (ability to be chosen by a female). Females gave preference to the males that were given a high protein diet in the larval phase. By contrast, females did not give preference to males that had been well-nourished in the adult phase only. The other parameters evaluated followed the same pattern: young males and males that had been fed a high protein diet during their immature phase had a greater participation in leks and called more often than older males and males that had been fed a diet poor in protein during their larval phase.Therefore, we conclude that the mating success of C. capitata males is determined both by age and nourishment during the immature stage.

Raspberry ketone accelerates sexual maturation and improves mating performance of sterile male Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt)

“…Accelerating time to sexual maturity increases the mating effectiveness of released sterile males in the field before numbers are reduced by natural death. Mating activity of male fruit flies declines with age and the earlier onset of sexual maturity results in more mating opportunities over a lifetime. Accelerated sexual maturity in sterile B. tryoni males was achieved by RK supplementation in the pre‐release adult diet.…”

Towards improving sterile insect technique: Exposure to orange oil compounds increases sexual signalling and longevity in Ceratitis capitata males of the Vienna 8 GSS

“…All males (exposed and non-exposed) irrespective of the food regime clearly shifted to a more intense and continuous sexual signalling activity, in day 16 th of their adult age (see S2 Fig ). Age is known to promote sexual maturity [ 26 , 36 ] and affect mating performance and competitiveness in male medflies (28) and it could potentially also affect sexual signalling pattern [ 54 ]. However, comparisons and differences observed are between males of two age classes (8 vs 16 days old), in which most of mass-reared males are already sexual mature.…”

Sexual Selection on Leks: A Fruit Fly Primer

“…capitata discriminated against the older males in two independent studies. In one case, 4- to 5-d-old females preferred to mate with same-age males over 20-d-old males, which may have reflected the higher calling activity of the young males ( Roriz and Joachim-Bravo 2013 ). In the other instance, young females (10-d old) preferred young males (10-d old) over old males (30- or 40-d old) even though calling levels were similar between the age groups ( Shelly et al 2011 ).…”