Abstract
Bactrocera invadens Drew, Tsuruta & White, Bactrocera papayae Drew & Hancock, and Bactrocera philippinensis Drew & Hancock, key pest species within the Bactrocera dorsalis species complex, have been recently synonymized under the name Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). The closely related Bactrocera carambolae Drew & Hancock remains as a discrete taxonomic entity. Although the synonymizations have been accepted by most researchers, debate about the species limits remains. Because of the economic importance of this group of taxa, any new information available to support or deny the synonymizations is valuable. We investigated the chemical epicuticle composition of males and females of B. dorsalis, B. invadens, B. papayae, B. philippinensis, and B. carambolae by means of one- and two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, followed by multiple factor analyses and principal component analysis. Clear segregation of complex cuticule profiles of both B. carambolae sexes from B. dorsalis (Hendel) was observed. In addition to cuticular hydrocarbons, abundant complex mixtures of sex-specific oxygenated lipids (three fatty acids and 22 fatty acid esters) with so far unknown function were identified in epicuticle extracts from females of all species. The data obtained supports both taxonomic synonymization of B. invadens, B. papayae, and B. philippinensis with B. dorsalis, as well as the exclusion of B. carambolae from B. dorsalis.
Highlights
32 hydrocarbons were common for both sexes, whereas 22 fatty acid esters and three fatty acids were specific for females
Our analyses of the complex mixture of cuticle blends allowed for characterizing species- and sex-specific cuticle profiles in B. carambolae and B. dorsalis
While separating males of B. carambolae from B. dorsalis sensu lato (i.e. B. dorsalis, B. ‘syn. invadens’, B. ‘syn. papayae’, and B. ‘syn. philippinensis’), our data further prove that epicuticular profiles are reliable chemotaxonomic markers for species delimitation
Summary
Cuticular profiles of Bactrocera dorsalis species complex Comprehensive study has not yet been reported, of epicuticular compounds in the female B. dorsalis species complex [29, 30]. 59 compounds were identified in hexane body washes of males and females of B. carambolae, B. dorsalis, B.
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