Behavioral Responses and Pupa Development Patterns After Hypoxia or Anoxia in a Desiccation-Resistant Anastrepha ludens Strain.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to experimentally test for adult cross-resistance to hypoxia or anoxia in a desiccation-resistant population of Anastrepha ludens Loew. We compared desiccation resistant flies with unselected (control) flies by measuring the effect of pre-emergence hypoxia on some fitness parameters (emergence, flight ability, copulation success, latency to copulation, copulation duration, ovary size). Anoxia effects were determined using eye color changes during pupa development and fly emergence after re-oxygenation. Both strains were negatively affected in all measured parameters when exposed to hypoxia for more than 48h. However, after hypoxia, control flies showed, in general, shorter latency to mate and longer copula duration than desiccation-resistant flies. Anoxia-induced arrest of pupa development, whereas returning to normoxia conditions induced resumption of development. Anoxia period length (longer than 72h) increased mortality to 100% in the control line, whereas the desiccation-resistant line survived even at 120h of anoxia. Thus, pre-release hypoxia must not exceed 24h in order to maintain insect quality independently of fly type.