Abstract
The study of the species complex Anastrepha fraterculus (Af complex) in Brazil is especially important in a taxonomical, evolutionary and pest management context, because there are evidences that some of them may occur in sympatry. In this review, we analyzed the main results supporting evidences that three cryptic species occur in Brazil. The taxonomical and phylogenetic relationships based on eggshell morphology, adult morphometrics, as well as cytotaxonomy and genetic differentiations are discussed. We also review available information on sexual behavior including acoustic communication of males during courtship and sexual incompatibility; and chemical signals involved in the communication between sexes, with a special focus on sex pheromones. We examined the role of long- and short-range pheromones (male-produced volatiles and cuticular hydrocarbons, respectively), their implications in sexual isolation, and their possible use for chemotaxonomic differentiation of the putative species of the Af complex.
Highlights
The fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus constitutes a complex of cryptic species (Af complex) currently composed of eight taxonomically recognized morphotypes (Hernández-Ortiz et al 2012, 2015)
An extensive review of genetics and biology of A. fraterculus from Argentina has been published (Cladera et al 2014), information about the ecology, taxonomy, and behavior of A. fraterculus putative species in Brazil is still insufficient and this imposes constrains to implementation of environmental friendly control methods, such as the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) (Dyck et al 2005)
Here we present evidence proving that the pheromone and its role in the A. fraterculus chemical communication have been the main focus of studies performed by a few groups on the last 14 years
Summary
The fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus constitutes a complex of cryptic species (Af complex) currently composed of eight taxonomically recognized morphotypes (Hernández-Ortiz et al 2012, 2015). Based on adult morphology, the first evidence of differences among Brazilian populations of the Af complex from other countries was made with comparisons of seven samples from Mexico, two from Brazil (São Paulo and Piracicaba), and each one from Argentina (Tucumán) and Colombia (Tolima) (Hernández-Ortiz et al 2004).
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