Bioecology of Anastrepha alveata Stone (Diptera: Tephritidae) associated with wild plum fruits Ximenia americana L. (Olacaceae)

Abstract

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are considered important pests of fruticulture due to considerable losses to production and limitation to free transit of fresh fruits. A generalist species is cresature that can live or feed on a wide variety of environemnts or host plants. Although, Anastrepha is a generalist species but infests a small range of plants. The specificity of this species with host plants is a peculiar characteristic of genus Anastrepha. Therefore, it is important to understand the host species and its feeding behaviour on host plants. This way, we will better know its ecology, biology and evolution for rational control ways and measures. Therefore, this study aimed at understanding the biology of Anastrepha alveata Stone (Diptera: Tephritidae). A study was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions (27 ± 2°C temperature, 70 ± 5% RH, photoperiod 12 hours) during the period from November/2015 to October/2017. Anastrepha alveata adults were obtained from wild plum fruits Ximenia americana L. (Olacaceae), collected from Savanna area in two fructification periods. One-hundred and fifty Anastrepha alveata adults were collected (60 females and 90 males) to determine sexual maturity, mating behavior, fecundity and longevity. The sexual maturity for Anastrepha alveata was 8-13 days after emergence for females. At this age they emitted signal of acceptance for mating and copulation. For males, 5-7 days after emergence this mating signals was given, which was characterized by the protrusion of the lateral abdominal pleural glands. The mating rhythm of Anastrepha alveata was crepuscular/nocturnal, beginning around 6 p.m. and extending to/after 9 p.m. Anastrepha alveata females did not mate with more than one male but mated more than once. The number of males did not affect significantly the mating time, the number of eggs and the longevity of Anastrepha alveata. The mean pupal period for Anastrepha alveata was 17.5 days. Two preferential peaks for adult emergence were observed at 10:00 am and 03:00 pm. The longevity of the adult insects was greater than 300 days, surviving until the fructification of its host (wild plum) in the following year. Therefore, A. alveata has a strictly monophagous food habit associated with the Ximenia americana host.