Demography and ovarian development of Anastrepha distincta (Diptera: Tephritidae) in its natural host Inga spuria (Fabaceae), and mango (Mangifera indica L.) infested under laboratory conditions.
Oropeza-Cabrera A., Liedo P., Hernández E., Toledo J.
Author Affiliation: El Colegio de la Frontera Sur. Tapachula, C.P. 30700, Chiapas, Mexico.
Acta Zoologica Mexicana 31 : 149-158
Abstract : Anastrepha distincta (Greene) is a tephritid species that under natural conditions is found infesting fruits of plants of the genus Inga. Although rarely it has been reported infesting comercial fruits, it is doubtful whether these records were misidentifications or if this species really has the potential to develop in these fruits. In this study we evaluated whether this species is able to develop on mango fruits (Mangifera indica L.). The flies used for experiments were obtained as larvae infesting fruits of cuajinicuil (Inga spuria Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) under natural conditions. Fruits of mango of the coche and Ataulfo cultivars were exposed to groups of adult flies to promote their infestation under laboratory conditions. With a demographic approach, the offspring survival, reproductive capacity and ovarian development were determined. Anastrepha distincta was capable to infest mango fruits and successfully develop under lab conditions. Male life expectancy was 110.9, 107.9 and 114.3 days for Ataulfo mango, coche mango and I. spuria, respectively; in females it was 107.6, 69.0 and 132.3 for the same hosts. Gross fecundity (? mx) was 392.5, 401.1 and 176.1 eggs/female, and net fecundity (? lxmx) was 349.2, 244.4 and 168.6 eggs/female, for the females recovered from mango cultivars Ataulfo, and coche, and I. spuria, respectively. The females recovered from I. spuria showed the greatest number of ovarioles, while the greatest percentages of egg hatching were obtained from females reared on mango coche. The possible causes that mango is not a natural host for A. distincta, even though this fly species can successfully develop and reproduce in mango fruits under laboratory conditions are discussed.