Temperature-Dependent Development and Survival of Brazilian Populations of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly,Ceratitis capitata, from Tropical, Subtropical and Temperate Regions

Abstract

The Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is one of the principal exotic pests affecting Brazilian production in the northeastern and southeastern regions of Brazil. In the south, it is has potential as a serious threat to temperate-climate fruit farms, since it is already found in urban and suburban communities in this region. We studied the biological characteristics of C. capitata populations from Pelotas-RS (temperate climate), Petrolina-PE (tropical), and Campinas-SP (subtropical). Ceratitis capitata biology was studied under controlled temperature (15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 ± 1 °C), 70 ± 10% RH, and 14:10 L:D photoperiod. The duration and survival rate of the egg, larval, and pupal stages were evaluated and the thermal requirements of these three populations were determined. The duration and survival of these developmental stages varied with temperature, with similar values for the three populations, except for some variation in the egg phase. Egg to adult developmental time for all three populations was inversely proportional to temperature; from 15 to 30 °C developmental time varied from 71.2 to 17.1, 70.2 to 17.1, and 68.5 to 16.9 days, respectively. Survival during development was affected at 15 to 30 °C, and differed significantly from survival at 20 to 25 °C. At 35 °C, immature stages did not develop. The basal temperature and degree-day requirement were similar for all immature stages except for the egg stage. The basal temperatures and thermal constants were 9.30 and 350, 8.47 and 341, and 9.60 °C and 328 degree-days for the Pelotas, Petrolina, and Campinas populations, respectively. Results suggested that survival and thermal requirements are similar for these tropical, subtropical, and temperate populations of C. capitata, and demonstrate the species' capacity to adapt to different climate conditions.

Gender and Timing during Ontogeny Matter: Effects of a Temporary High Temperature on Survival, Body Size and Colouration in Harmonia axyridis

“…Egg-to-adult survival is a composite trait determined by multiplicative effects of stage-specific survival [17]. Interestingly, the stage at which survival rate is most sensitive to temperature varies among species, ranging from egg to early and late larval instars and pupa [16], [17], [19]–[21]. To our knowledge, similar data are scarce even for well studied species such as H. axyridis (but see indicia reported in [22], [23]).…”

“…Temperature can also substantially affect the preimaginal survival of ectotherms [16]–[18]. Egg-to-adult survival is a composite trait determined by multiplicative effects of stage-specific survival [17].…”

Generation time extension for cost‐effective strain maintenance of transgenic Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata [Diptera: Tephritidae]

“…; Duyck and Quilici ; Ricalde et al. ), it is necessary that conditions for generation time extension be optimized to suit whichever species and population of interest.…”

Trapping and the Detection, Control, and Regulation of Tephritid Fruit Flies

“…In Western Australia the equivalent values were estimated as 9.3 C, 11. 1 C, 8.4 C, and 12.8 C, respectively (De Lima 2008), whereas at three different sites in Brazil development thresholds were, respectively, 7.26 C, 5.10 C, and 5.9 C for eggs, 8.7 C, 9.6 C, and 8.1 C for larvae and 10.4 C, 10.5 C, and 10.3 C for pupae (Ricalde et al 2012). One reason for this may be the use of different methods (Fletcher 1989).…”

“…Some variation between the results of different authors is likely if they use different numbers of replicates for each data point, use different numbers of data points, or have to extrapolate across different distances to the intercept. However, even after using the error of the intercepts for statistical comparison, differences between sites can be found when the methods used are identical (Ricalde et al 2012).…”