The influence of adult diet and age on lipid reserves in the tropical fruit fly Anastrepha serpentina (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract

We investigated the effect of diet [dry sucrose (S); dry sucrose + protein (S+P); dry sucrose + open fruit (S+OF); dry sucrose + intact fruit (S+IF); open fruit (OF); and intact fruit(IF)] upon the lipid reserves, onset of oviposition, lifetime egg production and longevity of adult female and male Anastrepha serpentina (Diptera: Tephritidae). Starved flies died at a high rate after the third day of adult life. Lipid reserves in starved flies dropped drastically during the first days of adult life. Egg production and survival were highest in flies maintained on a diet of S+P, followed by flies maintained on diets of OF and S+OF. Longevity and egg production were lower in flies kept on diets of S and S+IF than on the other diets. Flies kept on IF did not produce eggs, and longevity was similar to that of starved flies. Lipid reserves were similar in both sexes fed the same diet. Lipid reserves of flies kept on S+P decreased during the first days of adult life but afterwards were replenished. Lipid reserves in flies kept on diets of S+OF, OF and S+IF oscillated: short periods of utilization were followed by periods of reloading. Flies kept on S and IF alone showed a continuous utilization of reserves without replenishment. Rate of utilization was faster for flies on IF than on S. The link between the variation in nutrient requirements and metabolic processes with possible consequent variations in foraging activity is discussed.