Abstract
Psyttalia concolor is a parasitoid of fruit flies (Tephritidae) which is used to control the olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae). Detailed knowledge of its reproductive biology is required to optimise mass rearing conditions and use in biological control. In this study, the mating behaviour of P. concolor was investigated in order to understand the factors that can influence the success of male mating, using both high-speed video and biological assays. P. concolor males were more likely to be successful in mating during the early morning as opposed to the afternoon, and their courtship behaviour was not affected by the female mating status (i.e. virgin or mated). Wing fanning and copulation attempts were also frequently displayed among males, but male mating status did not influence male–male courtship behaviour. Video data revealed that during wing fanning, male wings were kept raised and moved rhythmically in a dorsoventral fashion. Frequency, pulse duration and interpulse interval of the fanning males during female courtship differed significantly in successful mating attempts compared to unsuccessful ones. Wingless males had significantly lower mating success compared to winged males, suggesting that wing fanning increases the likelihood of attracting a mate. Overall, the study increases the knowledge of the reproductive biology of P. concolor and suggests the importance of fanning behaviour among the range of sensory modalities used by this parasitoid in intra-specific communication.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Antolin MF, Strand MR (1992) Mating system of Bracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Ecol Entomol 17:1–7
Bourdais D, Hance T (2009) Lack of behavioural evidence for kin avoidance in mate choice in a hymenopteran parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Behav Processes 81:92–94
Briceño RD, Eberhard WG (2002) Decisions during courtship by male and female medflies (Diptera: Tephritidae): correlated changes in male behaviour and female acceptance criteria in mass reared flies. Fla Entomol 85:14–31
Briceño RD, Ramos D, Eberhard WG (1996) Courtship behavior of male Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in captivity. Fla Entomol 79:130–143
Briscoe AD, Chittka L (2001) The evolution of colour vision in insects. Annu Rev Entomol 46:471–510
Brodeur J, McNeil JN (1994) Seasonal ecology of Aphidius nigripes (Hymenoptera: Aphididae), a parasitoid of Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Homoptera: Aphididae). Environ Entomol 23:292–298
Canale A, Loni A, Raspi A (2007) Psyttalia concolor (Szépligeti) mass-rearing: new acquisitions. 2nd European Meeting of the IOBC/WPRS Study Group, Integrated Protection of Olive Crops, Florence. IOBC wprs Bullettin—OILB srop, vol. 30:163–167
Daane KM, Johnson MW (2010) Olive fruit fly: managing an ancient pest in modern times. Annu Rev Entomol 55:151–169
Danci A, Takács S, Schaefer PW, Gries G (2010) Evidence for acoustic communication in the parasitoid Glyptapanteles flavicoxis. Entomol Exp Appl 136:142–150
De Freitas MRT, De Lima Medonça A, Do Nascimento RR, Sant’Ana EG (2004) Behavioural evidence for a female sex pheromone in Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Physiol Entomol 29:183–187
Dukas R (2010) Causes and consequences of male–male courtship in fruit flies. Anim Behav 80:913–919
Field SA, Keller MA (1993) Courtship and intersexual signaling in the parasitic wasp Cotesia rubecula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). J Ins Behav 6:737–750
Fischer M (1971) Index of entomophagous insects. Hymenoptera Braconidae. World Opiinae, Le François
Gordh G, DeBach P (1978) Courtship behaviour in the Aphytis lingnanensis group, its potential usefulness in taxonomy, and a review of sexual behaviour in the parasitic Hymenoptera (Chalcidoidea: Aphelinidae). Hilgardia 46:37–75
Joyce AL, Hunt RE, Bernal JS, Vinson SB (2008) Substrate influences mating success and transmission of courtship vibration for the parasitoid Cotesia marginiventris. Entomol Exp Appl 127:39–47
Joyce AL, Aluja M, Sivinski J, Vinson SB, Ramirez-Romero R, Bernal JS, Guillen L (2010) Effect of continuous rearing on courtship acoustics of five braconid parasitoids, candidates for augmentative biological control of Anastrepha species. Biocontrol 55:573–582
Kimani SW, Overholt WA (1995) Biosystematics of the Cotesia flavipes complex (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): interspecific hybridization, sex pheromone and mating behaviour studies. Bull Entomol Res 85:379–386
Kitano H (1975) Studies on the courtship behaviour of Apanteles glomeratus L. 2. Role of the male wing during courtship and the releaser of mounting and copulatory behaviour in the males. Kontyu 43:513–521
Leonard SH, Ringo JM (1978) Analysis of male courtship patterns and mating behaviour of Brachymeria intermedia. Ann Entomol Soc Am 71:817–826
Marchal P (1910) Sur un Braconide nouveau, parasite de Dacus oleae. Bull Soc Entomol France 13:243–244
Marchand D, McNeil JN (2000) Effects of wind speed and atmospheric pressure on mate searching behaviour in the aphid parasitoid Aphidius nigripes (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae). J Insect Behav 13:187–199
Martel V, Damiens D, Boivin G (2008) Male mate choice in Trichogramma turkestanica. J Insect Behav 21:63–71
McClure M, Whistlecraft J, McNeil JN (2007) Courtship behaviour in relation to the female sex pheromone in the parasitoid Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). J Chem Ecol 33:1946–1959
McNeil JN, Brodeur J (1995) Pheromone-mediated mating in the aphid parasitoid, Aphidius nigripes (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae). J Chem Ecol 21:959–972
Miller MC, Tsao CH (1974) Significance of wing vibration in male Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) during courtship. Ann Entomol Soc Am 67:772–774
Purcell M (1998) Contributions of biological control to integrated pest management of tephritid fruit flies in the tropics and subtropics. Integr Pest Manag Rev 3:63–83
Rao SV, DeBach P (1969) Experimental studies on hybridization and sexual isolation between some Aphytis species (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). III. The significance of reproductive isolation between interspecific hybrids and parental species. Evolution 23:525–533
Raspi A, Loni A (1994) Alcune note sull’allevamento di Opius concolor (Szèpl) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) e su recenti tentativi d’introduzione della specie in Toscana ed in Liguria. Frustula entomol n.s. XVII (XXX):135–145
Raspi A, Loni A, Canovai R, Canale A (2007) Entomophages of olive pests in Corsica, coastal Tuscany and islands of Tuscan archipelago. Frustula entomol n.s. XXX (XLIII): 187–194
Ridley M (1993) A sib competitive relation between clutch size and mating frequency in parasitic Hymenoptera. Am Nat 142:893–910
Rungrojwanich K, Walter GH (2000) The Australian fruit fly parasitoid Diachasmimorpha kraussii (Fullaway): mating behaviour, modes of sexual communication and crossing tests with D. longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Opinae). Pan Pacific Entomol 76:12–23
Ruther J, Homann M, Steidle JLM (2000) Female-derived sex pheromone mediates courtship behaviour in the parasitoid Lariophagus distinguendus. Entomol Exp Appl 96:265–274
Shu S, Jones RL (1993) Evidence for a multicomponent sex pheromone in Eriborus terebrans (Gravenhorst) (Hym. Ichneumonidae), a larval parasitoid of the European corn borer. J Chem Ecol 19:2563–2576
Sivinski J, Webb JC (1989) Acoustic signal produced during courtship in Diachasmimorpha (=Biosteres) longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and other Braconidae. Ann Entomol Soc Am 82:16–120
Sprinthall RC (2003) Basic Statistical Analysis. Pearson Education, New Jersey
Tzanakakis ME (2006) Insects and mites feeding on olive: distribution, importance habits seasonal development and dormancy. Brill Acad Publ, Leiden
Van den Assem J (1986) Mating behaviour in parasitic. In: Waage J, Greathead D (eds) Insect parasitoids. Academic, New York, pp 137–165
van den Assem J, Putters FA (1980) Patterns of sound produced by courting chalcidoid males and its biological significance. Entomol Exp Appl 27:293–302
Vinson SB (1972) Courtship behaviour and evidence for a sex pheromone in the parasitoid Campoletis sonorensis (Hymenoptera: Icheumonidae). Environ Entomol 1:409–414
Wang XG, Johnson MW, Yokoyama VY, Pickett CH, Daane KM (2010) Comparative evaluation of two olive fruit fly parasitoids under varying abiotic conditions. Bio Control doi 10.1007/s10526-010-9332-8
Xiong ZE (2008) Reproductive behaviour of Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera: Aphidiinae). PhD Dissertation, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Zapien G, Hendrichs J, Liedo P, Cisneros A (1983) Comparative mating behaviour of wild and mass-reared sterile medfly Ceratitis capitata (Wied) on a field caged host tree. II. Female mate choice. In: Cavalloro R (ed) Fruit flies of economic importance. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 397–409
Acknowledgments
We thank Helen Romito, Olimpia Barros Pinto (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies) and Dr. Adrian J. Wallwork for proofreading the English, Prof. Marcello Mele (University of Pisa) for statistical advices and Dr. Giacomo Ragni (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies) for technical assistance during video recordings.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by J. R. Bell.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Benelli, G., Bonsignori, G., Stefanini, C. et al. Courtship and mating behaviour in the fruit fly parasitoid Psyttalia concolor (Szépligeti) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): the role of wing fanning. J Pest Sci 85, 55–63 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-011-0394-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-011-0394-x