The Mayan Tropical Rainforest: An Uncharted Reservoir of Tritrophic Host-Fruit Fly-Parasitoid Interactions

Abstract

Over a two–year period, we surveyed natural areas of the Mayan rainforest in Quintana Roo, Mexico. We found 11 species of Anastrepha Schiner (Diptera: Tephritidae) infesting 25 species of fruits belonging to ten plant families. We report the first records of 10 host plant species of the genus Anastrepha, which include the first report of a plant family (Putranjivaceae) serving as host of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) infesting Drypetes lateriflora (Sw.) Krug and Urb. (Putranjivaceae). Pouteria reticulata (Engl.) Eyma (Sapotaceae) was found, for the first time, to be infested by Anastrepha serpentina (Wiedemann) and by a new undescribed species of Anastrepha. We also report Casimiroa microcarpa Lundell (Rutaceae) as a possible ancestral host for the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew), in Central America. The family Sapotaceae was the best-represented host group with three fruit fly species recovered: A. serpentina, an economically-important species, found in eight host plants, and A. hamata and A. sp. (new species). We recorded six species of koinobiont parasitoids: Doryctobracon areolatus Szepligeti, Utetes (Bracanastrepha) anastrephae Viereck, Opius hirtus Fisher, and Doryctobracon zeteki Musebeck, (all Braconidae), and Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brethés) and Odontosema anastrephae Borgmeier, (both Figitidae). All these parasitoid species represent at least a new report for their host plants. Of the whole parasitoid community, D. areolatus was the most important parasitoid species with 52.7% of presence in 12 host plant species, parasitizing six fruit fly species. The interaction between fruit flies and their parasitoids with host plants depends on fruit availability, which is crucial for the survival of each of these species. Conserving the landscape of the Mayan rainforest is important not only for species conservation, but also for the maintenance of fruit fly host plants in orchard agroecosystems in southeastern Mexico.

New Host Plant and Distribution Records of Anastrepha Species (Diptera: Tephritidae) Primarily from the Western Amazon

“…The larvae of A . ludens , documented from two native host plants, feed on the seeds and pulp of Casimiroa macrocarpa and only on the seeds of Casimiroa greggii (S. Watson) F. Chiang (Aluja et al 1999, López-Ortega et al 2020). In contrast, A .…”

“…For example, A . ludens feeds on seeds in native Rutaceae (Plummer et al 1941, López-Ortega et al 2020). After carefully studying the available plant data, although limited, it can be concluded that the seed feeding mode arose multiple times across the genus.…”

“…Pilz , Anastrepha tehuacana Norrbom from the fruit of Euphorbia tehuacana (Brandegee) V. W. Steinm. (Norrbom et al 2014), and A. ludens from fruit of Casimiroa macro carpa Lundell (López-Ortega et al 2020), as well as the pulp feeding mode of the larva of Anastrepha grandis (Macquart) from fruit of Sicana odorifera (Vell.) Naudin (Savaris et al 2021).…”

Tritrophic relations and spatial distribution of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the Cerrado and Caatinga regions in Piauí, Brazil

“…Most likely, the characteristics of host plants (Anacardiaceae) favored parasitism by native parasitoids in Anastrepha species. López-Ortega et al (2020) report Opius hirtus (Fisher) in five new fruit fly-parasitoid associations, all occurring in native tree species infested by different fly species. This highlights the preference of this parasitoid for monophagous fly species attacking comparatively small-sized fruits.…”

“…The interactions involving fruit flies and parasitoids have been largely studied worldwide due to their economic importance and the possibility of using their parasitoids as biological control agents, and the study of interactions between insects and fruits is one of the main challenges for understanding the reproductive success of many angiosperms because the damage caused by insects can cause loss of productivity in a wide variety of fruits. Fruit-eating insects can influence the production due to direct damage and by indirect damage through biochemical changes that cause premature ripening of the fruit or increased protein levels (Aluja, 1999;Ovruski et al, 2000Ovruski et al, , 2004Schliserman et al, 2016;López-Ortega et al, 2020). Fruit flies of the Tephritidae family are among the most harmful insects to commercial fruits because the larval stage develops within the fruit (Garcia et al, 2017).…”