Mating affects reproductive investment into eggs, but not the timing of oogenesis in the flesh fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis

Abstract

We examined the effects of mating on reproductive investment and the timing of oogenesis in the flesh fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis by exposing females to males or not. All females exposed to males were mated within a few days and we found that mating affected reproductive investment. Virgin females not exposed to males produced a large clutch of eggs ( approximately 91), but females exposed to males and mated produced 10% more. There was no effect of mating on egg length or mass. There was also no effect of mating on the timing of oogenesis. Females in both treatments provisioned their eggs at the same rate with yolk first becoming visible in the oocytes on day three of adulthood and complete provisioning of eggs occurring by the seventh day of adulthood. We examined the biochemical basis of egg provisioning by identifying the yolk proteins and quantifying their blood titer during the oogenic period in both, females exposed to males and mated and those not exposed to males. There was no difference in the timing of the first appearance, peak titer, or disappearance of yolk proteins in the blood between the two treatments. However, consistent with our observation of greater egg production in mated females, these females contained a greater peak yolk protein titer.

Does it pay to delay? Flesh flies show adaptive plasticity in reproductive timing

“…Female flesh flies do not begin to provision eggs until the fourth day post-eclosion (Hahn et al 2008b). Therefore, starting three days post-eclosion, seven females were sampled from each cage daily until all females contained fully-mature eggs.…”

Analysis of the Influence of Changing and Fixed Temperatures on the Growth and Pteridine Content in the Head of Adults Sarcophaga crassipalpis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

“…Nonetheless, the mechanisms regulating the development of S. crassipalpis under varying temperature conditions remain poorly understood. Little research has been performed on the life history of this species, including its development under non-diapause conditions [19,20], constant temperatures [21], reproductive time [22,23] and fecundity [24], eclosion rhythm [8], and pupal diapause [8,25,26], as well as the effects of food and weather conditions on its growth processes [10]. The findings show developmental plasticity in S. crassipalpis with different development patterns in populations from different geographical locations in the USA, China, and Turkey.…”