Host‐marking pheromone of the South American fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus and cross‐recognition by the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract

AbstractFollowing oviposition, females of many fruit flies deposit on the fruit surface a host‐marking pheromone (HMP) that can deter oviposition by conspecifics and heterospecifics, thereby minimizing overexploitation of hosts. We describe the oviposition behaviour of two economically important fruit flies (Anastrepha fraterculus and Ceratitis capitata) in agar spheres marked with methanolic and aqueous faeces extracts that contain the HMP. Laboratory bioassays revealed that A. fraterculus mated female produces an HMP that can be extracted from faeces, and causes a significant reduction in fruit infestation by both conspecifics and heterospecifics (cross‐recognition). Furthermore, mated female faeces extract contains higher amounts of methyl (9E)‐hexadecenoate, methyl hexadecanoate, methyl linoleate and methyl (9Z)‐octadecenoate than male faeces extract. Our results provide evidence for the potential use of this ovipositional deterrent in crop protection and pest management programmes for A. fraterculus and C. capitata.