Oviposition behavior in Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae) influence of adult food, induced preference and associative learning

Author(s)

Thamara Alessandra Braz da Silva Leal

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2005-03-01

Examining board members

Fernando Sergio Zucoloto; Jomara Alves Cangussu de Souza; Isabel Ribeiro do Valle Teixeira

• Advisor: Fernando Sergio Zucoloto

Abstract

The hypothesis concerning the oviposition preference/immature performance considers that the adult female would be maximizing its fitness when ovipositing in hosts that optimize the larval performance. However, several other factors can act in the moment site selection for oviposition occurs, among them the influence of the alimentary resource used by the adult, the behavioral induction and the associative learning. The purpose of this study was to answer the following questions related to the Anastrepha obliqua oviposition behavior: Can the carbohydrate present in the adult diet (glucose or sucrose) exert positive influence on the female preference for an oviposition site with similar composition? (Phase 1) Can previous experience with a host that possesses one of the two mentioned carbohydrates interfere in choosing oviposition sites in the future (behavioral induction)? (Phase 2) Do the flies associate a foreign substance (quinine sulphate) to the presence of protein in the oviposition site? (Phase 3). In Phase 1, substrates for choice containing glucose or sucrose were offered to flies fed with one of the above mentioned carbohydrates. In Phase 2, the flies which had previous contact with artificial oviposition sites constituted by yeast and glucose or yeast and sucrose were tested concerning preference for oviposition between these two types of substrate. The two Phase 3 groups flies had contact during five days with substrates containing yeast and quinine sulphate. After that period, the females have chosen between oviposition substrates containing or not the foreign substance. In one group, the artificial sites contained yeast and in the other only agar. The oviposition preference in the three phases was determined by the amount of eggs deposited by the females in the substrates for choice. (AU)