Life‐history strategy in an oligophagous tephritid: the tomato fruit fly, Neoceratitis cyanescens

Abstract

1. In phytophagous insects, life‐history traits mainly depend on host plant range. Substantial longevity, high fecundity and larval competition are the major traits of polyphagous Tephritidae while species with a restricted host range generally exhibit a lower longevity and fecundity as well as mechanisms to avoid larval competition. Our aim in this study was to investigate the life history of an oligophagous species, the tomato fruit fly, Neoceratitis cyanescens (Bezzi). 2. We determined life tables under laboratory conditions in order to calculate the main demographic parameters of N. cyanescens and studied the influence of larval and adult diet on life‐history traits. 3. The mean longevity of N. cyanescens females was 40 days. There was a strong synchronisation of female maturity. Oviposition showed an early peak at 9–13 days after a short pre‐oviposition period (6 days). The absence of proteins in the adult diet both delayed ovarian maturation and decreased female fecundity. In addition, females originating from tomato fruits produced significantly more eggs than females originating from bugweed or black nightshade, showing that even the larval host plant may strongly affect the subsequent fecundity of adult females. 4. The traits of N. cyanescens are then discussed in the light of those documented for polyphagous and monophagous tephritids. Neoceratitis cyanescens displayed attributes intermediate between those of polyphagous and monophagous tephritids. Its smaller clutch size compared with polyphagous species and its specialisation on the Solanaceae family whose fruits contain toxic compounds may help in reducing intra‐ and inter‐specific competition, respectively.

Host plant toxicity affects developmental rates in a polyphagous fruit fly: experimental evidence

“…Under higher alkaloid concentrations, however, putative sustained levels of ecdysteroids may intervene with the Juvenile Hormone titer and thereby prevent pupal emergence (Dhadialla, Carlson & Le, 1998;Grebe, Rauch & Spidler-Barth, 2000), hence explaining why C. fasciventris larvae died in their exuvium after developing in S. anguivi fruits. Alternatively, reduced recruitment rates in Solanum host may result from nutrient deficiency due to restricted prepupal feeding or lower nutritional content, or from more intense competition due to larval crowding (Brévault, Duyck & Quilici, 2008). Whereas behavioural observations of adult females did not show differences in infestation rate between different host species (N. Erbout, unpubl.…”

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) on vegetable crops in Reunion Island (Indian Ocean): state of knowledge, control+ methods and prospects for management

“…Upon maturing, the larvae burst out of the fruit, and then pupate in the soil. As pupation lasts around ten days, the development cycle from egg to adult takes 21 to 31 days [9,13,14]. In response to odors released by host plants, and carried by the wind, the tomato fly females are guided to the source by successive flights [5].…”

Fecundity and Mating Propensity ofToxotrypana curvicauda(Diptera: Tephritidae) on an Alternative Host,Jacaratia mexicana(Caricaceae)

“…Jackal) have a higher weight and have more eggs than those obtained from plants considered its natural reservoirs, such as bugweed (Solanum mauritianum Scop) or black nightshade (Solanun americanum Mill.) (Brévault et al 2008). Therefore, populations may build faster in tomato than in the other fruits.…”