Abstract
We studied the oviposition and host acceptance behavior of three braconid parasitoid species native to Mexico, Doryctobraconcrawfordi (Viereck), Opiushirtus (Fischer), and Utetesanastrephae (Viereck), with potential to be considered as biocontrol agents against tephritid fruit fly pests in the Neotropics. Third instar larvae of Anastrephaludens (Loew), with and without previous parasitization by conspecifics, were simultaneously offered to females of each species, and the individual behavior was video recorded to construct oviposition flow diagrams. The patterns of foraging and host acceptance were similar in the studied species; all rejected mostly parasitized hosts suggesting that this strategy is common in the guild of larval parasitoids attacking Anastrepha spp. The complete searching and host acceptance process took 2.2 ± 0.1 min (mean ± SE) in D.crawfordi, 1.7 ± 0.1 s in U.anastrephae and 1.5 ± 0.1 s in O.hirtus. Notably, because of toxins injected by parasitoid females during oviposition, the parasitized hosts experienced a transient paralysis of variable duration. Hosts attacked by U.anastrephae remained immobile for the shortest time (12.5 ± 1 min) (mean±SE), followed by D.crawfordi (20.5 ± 3.4 min) and O.hirtus (24.1 ± 2 min). Our data revealed a notable discrimination ability in all three species, and that behavioral differences lay mainly in the time of parasitization and in the duration of paralysis experienced by attacked hosts. This suggest that the three species could be valuable as biocontrol agents, but additional studies are necessary to better understand the advantages and limitations of each one as natural enemies of fruit fly pests.
Highlights
Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are considered one of the main fruit pests worldwide (Enkerlin 2005)
Knowledge on host acceptance behavior in insect parasitoids is fundamental to improve our understanding on the plant-herbivore-natural enemy tritrophic relations (Vet and Dicke 1992), as well as the population dynamics and their possible implications in pest biological control programs (Minkenberg et al 1992)
We established the patterns of host acceptance by D. crawfordi, U. anastrephae and O. hirtus in the presence of both non-parasitized and previously parasitized hosts
Summary
Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are considered one of the main fruit pests worldwide (Enkerlin 2005). Because parasitoid development is dependent on limited resources (the host), adult preference and larval performance should be correlated to maximize fitness (Harvey et al 2015) and the host acceptance procedure is considered the definitive step in host searching behavior (Vinson 1984). The hosts are often hidden in the interior of stems, leaves or fruits (Richerson and Borden 1972), parasitoid females must detect and respond to a number of indirect signals where chemical-sensorial information plays a fundamental role (Vinson 1976, 1998, van Alphen and Vet 1986, Vet and Dicke 1992). In addition to chemical stimuli, parasitoids are capable of identifying vibrations emitted by their hosts through the substrates in which they develop (van Alphen and Janssen 1982, Vet and van Alphen 1985, Meyhöfer et al 1997)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
