Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Larval Diet Affects Male Pheromone Blend in a Laboratory Strain of the Medfly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae)

  • Published:
Journal of Chemical Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) Ceratitis capitata is a polyphagous pest of fruits and crops with a worldwide distribution. Its ability to use different larval hosts may have multiple effects, including impacts on adult reproductive biology. The male sex pheromone, which plays a key role in attracting both other males to lekking arenas and females for mating, is a mixture of chemical compounds including esters, acids, alkanes and terpenes known to differ between laboratory strains and wild-type populations. The relationship between larval diet and adult pheromone composition remains unexplored. Here, we investigated the effect of larval diet, including laboratory media and fresh fruits, on the composition of the male pheromone mixture. Using Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction we collected the pheromone emitted by males reared as larvae on different substrates and found both qualitative and quantitative differences. A number of alkanes appeared to be typical of the pheromone of males reared on wheat bran-based larval medium, and these may be cuticular hydrocarbons involved in chemical communication. We also detected differences in pheromone composition related to adult male age, suggesting that variations in hormonal levels and/or adult diet could also play a role in determining the chemical profile emitted. Our findings highlight the plasticity of dietary responses of C. capitata, which may be important in determining the interactions of this pest with the environment and with conspecifics. These results also have applied relevance to increase the mating competitiveness of mass-reared C. capitata used in Sterile Insect Technique programs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alfaro C, Vacas S, Zarzo M, Navarro-Llopis V, Primo J (2011) Solid phase microextraction of volatile emissions of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae): influence of fly sex, age, and mating status. J Agric Food Chem 59:298–306. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf104183c

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Anjos-Duarte CS, Costa AM, Joachim-Bravo IS (2011) Influence of female age on variation of mate choice behavior in Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae). J Insect Behav 24:11–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arienti M, Antony C, Wicker-Thomas C, Delbecque JP, Jallon JM (2010) Ontogeny of Drosophila melanogaster female sex-appeal and cuticular hydrocarbons. Integr Zool 5:272–282. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2010.00213.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bachmann GE, Segura DF, Devescovi F, Juárez ML, Ruiz MJ, Vera MT, Cladera JL, Teal PEA, Fernández PC (2015) Male sexual behavior and pheromone emission is enhanced by exposure to guava fruit volatiles in Anastrepha fraterculus. PLoS One 10:e0124250. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0124250

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Baker R, Bacon AJ (1985) The identification of spiroacetals in the volatile secretions of two species of fruit fly (Dacus dorsalis, Dacus curcurbitae). Experientia 41:1484–1485

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baker R, Herbert RH, Lomer RA (1982) Chemical components of the rectal gland secretions of male Dacus cucurbitae, the melon fly. Experientia 38:232–233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baker R, Herbert RH, Grant GG (1985) Isolation and identification of the sex-pheromone of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wied). J Chem Soc Lond Chem Commun (12):824–825. https://doi.org/10.1039/C39850000824

  • Baker PS, Howse PE, Ondarza RN, Reyes J (1990) Field trials of synthetic sex-pheromone components of the male Mediterranean fruit-fly (Diptera, Tephritidae) in southern Mexico. J Econ Entomol 83:2235–2245

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Behar A, Yuval B, Jurkevitch E (2005) Enterobacteria-mediated nitrogen fixation in natural populations of the fruit fly Ceratitis capitata. Mol Ecol 14:2637–2643. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2005.02615.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Behar A, Yuval B, Jurkevitch E (2008) Gut bacterial communities in the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) and their impact on host longevity. J Insect Physiol 54:1377–1383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2008.07.011

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Belles X, Martin D, Piulachs MD (2005) The mevalonate pathway and the synthesis of juvenile hormone in insects. Annu Rev Entomol 50:181–199. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.50.071803.130356

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Biasazin TD, Karlsson MF, Hillbur Y, Seyoum E, Dekker T (2014) Identification of host blends that attract the African invasive fruit fly, Bactrocera invadens. J Chem Ecol 40:966–976. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-014-0501-6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bilen J, Atallah J, Azanchi R, Levine JD, Riddiford LM (2013) Regulation of onset of female mating and sex pheromone production by juvenile hormone in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110:18321–18326. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1318119110

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Blackwell A, Johnson SN (2000) Electrophysiological investigation of larval water and potential oviposition chemo-attractants for Anopheles gambiae s.s. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 94:389–398

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blomquist GJ, Bagnères AG (2010) Insect hydrocarbons: biology, biochemistry, and chemical ecology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511711909

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Blomquist GJ, Vogt RG (2003) Insect pheromone biochemistry and molecular biology: the biosynthesis and detection of pheromones and plant volatiles, 1st edn. Elsevier, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohbot JD, Jones PL, Wang G, Pitts RJ, Pask GM, Zwiebel LJ (2011) Conservation of indole responsive odorant receptors in mosquitoes reveals an ancient olfactory trait. Chem Senses 36:149–160. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjq105

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buettner A, Schieberle P (2001) Evaluation of aroma differences between hand-squeezed juices from valencia late and navel oranges by quantitation of key odorants and flavor reconstitution experiments. J Agric Food Chem 49:2387–2394

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carlson DA, Yocom SR (1986) Cuticular hydrocarbons from 6 species of Tephritid fruit-flies. Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 3:397–412

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eberhard W (2000) Sexual behavior and sexual selection in the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Dacinae: Ceratitidini). In: Aluja M, Norrbom A (eds) Fruit flies (Tephritidae): phylogeny and evolution of behavior. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 457–489

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekesi S, Mohamed SA (2011) Mass rearing and quality control parameters for tephritid fruit flies of economic importance in Africa. In: Akyar I (ed) Wide spectra of quality control. InTech, Rijeka. https://doi.org/10.5772/21330

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Sayed AM, Suckling DM, Wearing CH, Byers JA (2006) Potential of mass trapping for long-term pest management and eradication of invasive species. J Econ Entomol 99:1550–1564

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Enkerlin WR (2005) Impact of fruit fly control programmes using the sterile insect technique. In: Sterile insect technique: principles and practice in area-wide integrated pest management. Springer, The Netherlands, pp 651–676

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Farine JP, Ferveur JF, Everaerts C (2012) Volatile Drosophila cuticular pheromones are affected by social but not sexual experience. PLoS One 7:e40396. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0040396

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fay HAC (1989) Multi-host species of fruit fly. In: Robinson AS, Hooper G (eds) Fruit flies: their biology, natural enemies and control, vol 3B. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 129–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Fedina TY, Kuo TH, Dreisewerd K, Dierick HA, Yew JY, Pletcher SD (2012) Dietary effects on cuticular hydrocarbons and sexual attractiveness in Drosophila. PLoS One 7:e49799. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0049799

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Feron M (1962) L’instinct de reproduction chez la mouche méditerranéenne des fruits Ceratitis capitata Wied (Diptera: Trypetidae). Comportement sexuel. Comportement de ponte. Rev Pathol Veg Ent Agric France 41:1–129

  • Finney GL (1956) A fortified carrot medium for mass-culture of the oriental fruit fly and certain other tephritids. J Econ Entomol 49:135–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flath RA, Jang EB, Light DM, Mon TR, Carvalho L, Binder RG, John JO (1993) Volatile pheromonal emissions from the male Mediterranean fruit-fly - effects of fly age and time of day. J Agric Food Chem 41:830–837

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Francke W et al (2002) Female sex pheromone of Cameraria ohridella Desch. and dim. (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae): structure confirmation, synthesis and biological activity of (8E,10Z)-8,10-tetradecadienal and some analogues. Z Naturforsch C 57:739–752

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Furstenberg-Hagg J, Zagrobelny M, Bak S (2013) Plant defense against insect herbivores. Int J Mol Sci 14:10242–10297. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms140510242

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gabrieli P, Scolari F (2016) Delivery of nucleic acids through embryo microinjection in the worldwide agricultural pest insect, Ceratitis capitata. J Vis Exp 116. https://doi.org/10.3791/54528

  • Gikonyo NK, Lux S, Nemeye P (2005) Variation in volatiles from fruits of mango and marula attractive to the mango fruit fly, Ceratitis cosyra (Walker). East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 6:3–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Goncalves GB et al (2006) Comparison of the volatile components released by calling males of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) with those extractable from the salivary glands. Fla Entomol 89:375–379

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goncalves GB, Silva CE, Mendonca ADL, Vanickova L, Tomcala A, do Nascimento RR (2013) Pheromone communication in Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera: Tephritidae): a comparison of the volatiles and salivary gland extracts of two wild populations. Fla Entomol 96:1365–1374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordillo DJC (1999) Mass rearing methods for fruit fly. In: Workshop on the South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wied.); advances in artificial rearing, taxonomic status and biological studies., Vina del Mar (Chile), 1999. Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, pp 59–71

  • Groot AT, Schofl G, Inglis O, Donnerhacke S, Classen A, Schmalz A, Santangelo RG, Emerson J, Gould F, Schal C, Heckel DG (2014) Within-population variability in a moth sex pheromone blend: genetic basis and behavioural consequences. Proc Biol Sci 281:20133054. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.3054

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Harraca V, Syed Z, Guerin PM (2009) Olfactory and behavioural responses of tsetse flies, Glossina spp., to rumen metabolites. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 195:815–824. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-009-0459-y

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heath RR, Landolt PJ, Tumlinson JH, Chambers DL, Murphy RE, Doolittle RE, Dueben BD, Sivinski J, Calkins CO (1991) Analysis, synthesis, formulation, and field testing of three major components of male mediterranean fruit fly pheromone. J Chem Ecol 17:1925–1940. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00993739

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heath RR, Epsky DD, Midgarden D, Katsoyannos BI (2004) Efficacy of 1,4-diamino-butane (putrescine) in a food-based synthetic attractant for capture of Mediterranean and Mexican fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae). J Econ Entomol 97:1126–1131

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Henneken J, Goodger JQD, Jones TM, Elgar MA (2017) Diet-mediated pheromones and signature mixtures can enforce signal reliability. Front Ecol Evol 4:1–13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2016.00145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IAEA (2003) Trapping guidelines for area-wide fruit fly programmes. Joint FAO/IAEA Programme, Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson M, Ohinata K, Chambers DL, Jones WA, Fujimoto MS (1973) Insect sex attractants. 13. Isolation, identification, and synthesis of sex pheromones of the male Mediterranean fruit fly. J Med Chem 16:248–251

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jang EB, Light DM (1996) Attraction of female Mediterranean fruit flies to identified components of the male-produced pheromone: qualitative aspects of major, intermediate, and minor components. In: McPheron BA, Steck GJ (eds) Fruit fly pests: a world assessment of their biology and management. St. Lucie Press, Delray Beach, pp 115–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Jang EB, Light DM, Dickens JC, McGovern TP, Nagata JT (1989) Electroantennogram responses of mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) to trimedlure and itstrans isomers. J Chem Ecol 15:2219–2231. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01014111

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jang EB, Light DM, Binder RG, Flath RA, Carvalho LA (1994) Attraction of female mediterranean fruit flies to the five major components of male-produced pheromone in a laboratory flight tunnel. J Chem Ecol 20:9–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02065987

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jayanthi PDK, Woodcock CM, Caulfield J, Birkett MA, Bruce TJA (2012) Isolation and identification of host cues from mango, Mangifera indica, that attract gravid female oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis. J Chem Ecol 38:361–369

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jeanbourquin P, Guerin PM (2007) Chemostimuli implicated in selection of oviposition substrates by the stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans. Med Vet Entomol 21:209–216. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2915.2007.00685.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Joachim-Bravo IS, Anjos CS, Costa AM (2009) The role of protein in the sexual behaviour of males of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae): mating success, copula duration and number of copulations. Zoologia-Curitiba 26:407–412

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Juan-Blasco M, San Andrés V, Martínez-Utrillas MA, Argilés R, Pla I, Urbaneja A, Sabater-Muñoz B (2013) Alternatives to ginger root oil aromatherapy for improved mating performance of sterile Ceratitis Capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) males. J Appl Entomol 137:244–251. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0418.2011.01688.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kanehisa M, Furumichi M, Tanabe M, Sato Y, Morishima K (2017) KEGG: new perspectives on genomes, pathways, diseases and drugs. Nucleic Acids Res 45:D353–D361. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkw1092

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kaspi R, Taylor PW, Yuval B (2000) Diet and size influence sexual advertisement and copulatory success of males in Mediterranean fruit fly leks. Ecol Entomol 25:279–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaspi R, Mossinson S, Drezner T, Kamensky B, Yuval B (2002) Effects of larval diet on development rates and reproductive maturation of male and female Mediterranean fruit flies. Physiol Entomol 27:29–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kouloussis NA, Katsoyannos BI, Papadopoulos NT, Ioannou CS, Iliadis IV (2013) Enhanced mating competitiveness of Ceratitis capitata males following exposure to citrus compounds. J Appl Entomol 137:30–38. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0418.2010.01535.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krainacker DA, Carey JR, Vargas RI (1987) Effect of larval host on life history traits of the mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata. Oecologia 73:583–590. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00379420

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krajicek J, Havlikova M, Bursova M, Ston M, Cabala R, Exnerova A, Stys P, Bosakova Z (2016) Comparative analysis of volatile defensive secretions of three species of Pyrrhocoridae (Insecta: Heteroptera) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometric method. PLoS One 11:e0168827. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168827

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Krupp JJ, Billeter JC, Wong A, Choi C, Nitabach MN, Levine JD (2013) Pigment-dispersing factor modulates pheromone production in clock cells that influence mating in Drosophila. Neuron 79:54–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2013.05.019

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kuo TH, Fedina TY, Hansen I, Dreisewerd K, Dierick HA, Yew JY, Pletcher SD (2012a) Insulin signaling mediates sexual attractiveness in Drosophila. PLoS Genet 8:e1002684. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1002684

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kuo TH, Yew JY, Fedina TY, Dreisewerd K, Dierick HA, Pletcher SD (2012b) Aging modulates cuticular hydrocarbons and sexual attractiveness in Drosophila melanogaster. J Exp Biol 215:814–821. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.064980

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Landolt PJ, Phillips TW (1997) Host plant influences on sex pheromone behavior of phytophagous insects. Annu Rev Entomol 42:371–391. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.42.1.371

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Landolt PJ, Heath RR, Chambers DL (1992) Oriented flight responses of female mediterranean fruit-flies to calling males, odor of calling males, and a synthetic pheromone blend. Entomol Exp Appl 65:259–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lauzon CR, McCombs SD, Potter SE, Peabody NC (2009) Establishment and vertical passage of Enterobacter (Pantoea) agglomerans and Klebsiella pneumoniae through all life stages of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am 102:85–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee JH, Wood TK, Lee J (2015) Roles of indole as an interspecies and interkingdom signaling molecule. Trends Microbiol 23:707–718. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2015.08.001

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leftwich PT, Nash WJ, Friend LA, Chapman T (2017) Adaptation to divergent larval diets in the medfly, Ceratitis capitata. Evolution 71:289–303. https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.13113

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Light DM, Jang EB, Binder RG, Flath RA, Kint S (1999) Minor and intermediate components enhance attraction of female Mediterranean fruit flies to natural male odor pheromone and its synthetic major components. J Chem Ecol 25:2757–2777

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liquido NJ, McQuate GT, Suiter KA (2014) MEDHOST: an encyclopedic bibliography of the host plants of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), version 2.0. United States Department of Agriculture, Center for Plant Health Science and Technology, Raleigh

  • Lodish H, Berk A, Zipursky SL, Matsudaira P, Baltimore D, Darnell J (2012) Molecular cell biology, 7th edition edn. W.H. Freeman & Co Ltd, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Lombard J, Moreira D (2011) Origins and early evolution of the mevalonate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis in the three domains of life. Mol Biol Evol 28:87–99. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msq177

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manoukis NC (2016) To catch a fly: landing and capture of Ceratitis capitata in a Jackson trap with and without an insecticide. PLoS One 11:e0149869. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0149869

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Marchini D, Rosetto M, Dallai R, Marri L (2002) Bacteria associated with the oesophageal bulb of the medfly Ceratitis capitata (Diptera:Tephritidae). Curr Microbiol 44:120–124

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan E (2010) Biosynthesis in insects: advanced edition, 2dn edn. RSC Publishing, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohinata K, Ashraf M, Harris EJ (1977) Mediterranean fruit flies: sterility and sexual competitiveness in the laboratory after treatment with gamma irradiation in air, carbon dioxide, helium, nitrogen or partial vacuum. J Econ Entomol 70:165–168

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ohinata K, Jacobson M, Nakagawa S, Urago T, Fujimoto M, Higa H (1979) Methyl (E)-6-nonenoate - new Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) male attractant. J Econ Entomol 72:648–650

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Papachristos DP, Papadopoulos NT (2009) Are citrus species favorable hosts for the Mediterranean fruit fly? A demographic perspective. Entomol Exp Appl 132:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Papachristos DP, Papadopoulos NT, Nanos GD (2008) Survival and development of immature stages of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) in citrus fruit. J Econ Entomol 101:866–872

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Papanastasiou SA, Diamantidis AD, Nakas CT, Carey JR, Papadopoulos NT (2011) Dual reproductive cost of aging in male medflies: dramatic decrease in mating competitiveness and gradual reduction in mating performance. J Insect Physiol 57:1368–1374

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Prokopy RJ, Hendrichs J (1979) Mating-behavior of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera, Tephritidae) on a field-caged host tree. Ann Entomol Soc Am 72:642–648

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Putruele MTG (1996) Hosts for Ceratitis capitata and Anastrepha fraterculus in the northeastern province of Entre Rios, Argentina. In: McPheron BA, Steck GJ (eds) Fruit fly pests: a world assessment of their biology and management. St. Lucie Press, Delray Beach, pp 343–345

    Google Scholar 

  • Qiao Y, Xie B, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Pan S (2008) Characterization of aroma active compounds in blood orange juice by solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry. Se Pu 26:509–514

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu Y, Tittiger C, Wicker-Thomas C, le Goff G, Young S, Wajnberg E, Fricaux T, Taquet N, Blomquist GJ, Feyereisen R (2012) An insect-specific P450 oxidative decarbonylase for cuticular hydrocarbon biosynthesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109:14858–14863

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • R Core Team (2014) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R foundation for statistical computing, Vienna http://www.R-project.org/

    Google Scholar 

  • Raptopoulos D, Haniotakis G, Koutsaftikis A, Kelly D, Mavraganis V (1995) Biological-activity of chemicals identified from extracts and volatiles of male - Rhagoletis cerasi. J Chem Ecol 21:1287–1297

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reddy GV, Guerrero A (2004) Interactions of insect pheromones and plant semiochemicals. Trends Plant Sci 9:253–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2004.03.009

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rehman S, Ahad A, Ahmad I, Ghaffoor A (1983) Qualitative aspects of various cultivars of sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis). Pak J Agric Res 4:22–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Robacker DC, Bartelt RJ (1997) Chemicals attractive to Mexican fruit fly from Klebsiella pneumoniae and Citrobacter freundii cultures sampled by solid-phase microextraction. J Chem Ecol 23:2897–2915

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rocca JR, Nation JL, Strekowski L, Battiste MA (1992) Comparison of volatiles emitted by male caribbean and mexican fruit flies. J Chem Ecol 18:223–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00993755

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roriz AKP, Joachim-Bravo LS (2013) The relevance of age and nutritional status on the mating competitiveness of medfly males (Diptera: Teprhitidae). Zoologia-Curitiba 30:506–512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saul SH (1982) Rosy-like mutant of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), and its potential for use in a genetic sexing program. Ann Entomol Soc Am 75:480–483

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelly TE, Kennelly S (2002) Influence of male diet on male mating success and longevity and female remating in the Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera : Tephritidae) under laboratory conditions. Fla Entomol 85:572–579

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelly TE, McInnis DO (2003) Influence of adult diet on the mating success and survival of male Mediterranean fruit flies (Diptera : Tephritidae) from two mass-rearing strains on field-caged host trees. Fla Entomol 86:340–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelly TE, Kennelly SS, McInnis DO (2002) Effect of adult diet on signaling activity, mate attraction, and mating success in male mediterranean fruit flies (Diptera : Tephritidae). Fla Entomol 85:150–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelly TE, Edu J, Pahio E (2011) Female medflies mate selectively with young males but gain no apparent fitness benefits. J Insect Behav 24:55–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siciliano P, He XL, Woodcock C, Pickett JA, Field LM, Birkett MA, Kalinova B, Gomulski LM, Scolari F, Gasperi G, Malacrida AR, Zhou JJ (2014a) Identification of pheromone components and their binding affinity to the odorant binding protein CcapOBP83a-2 of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 48:51–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.02.005

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Siciliano P, Scolari F, Gomulski LM, Falchetto M, Manni M, Gabrieli P, Field LM, Zhou JJ, Gasperi G, Malacrida AR (2014b) Sniffing out chemosensory genes from the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata. PLoS One 9:e85523. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0085523

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Silva-Neto AM, Dias VS, Joachim-Bravo IS (2009) Escolha de parceiro para acasalamento em Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae): influência do envelhecimento dos machos no sucesso de cópula. Neotrop Entomol 38:571–577

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tillman JA, Seybold SJ, Jurenka RA, Blomquist GJ (1999) Insect pheromones--an overview of biosynthesis and endocrine regulation. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 29:481–514

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vanickova L, do Nascimento RR, Hoskovec M, Jezkova Z, Brizova R, Tomcala A, Kalinova B (2012a) Are the wild and laboratory insect populations different in semiochemical emission? The case of the medfly sex pheromone. J Agric Food Chem 60:7168–7176. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf301474d

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vanickova L et al (2012b) Cuticular hydrocarbons of the south American fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus: variability with sex and age. J Chem Ecol 38:1133–1142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0177-8

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vanickova L et al (2014) Resolution of three cryptic agricultural pests (Ceratitis fasciventris, C. anonae, C. rosa, Diptera: Tephritidae) using cuticular hydrocarbon profiling. Bull Entomol Res 104:631–638. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485314000406

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wyatt TD (2014) Pheromones and animal behavior: chemical signals and signatures. 2dn edn, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Yew JY, Chung H (2015) Insect pheromones: an overview of function, form, and discovery. Prog Lipid Res 59:88–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plipres.2015.06.001

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang D, Terschak JA, Harley MA, Lin J, Hardege JD (2011) Simultaneously hermaphroditic shrimp use lipophilic cuticular hydrocarbons as contact sex pheromones. PLoS One 6:e17720. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0017720

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Lorenzo Ghiringhelli for technical support, Dr. Lucie Vaníčková for providing (E,E)-α-farnesene and (Z,E)-α-farnesene, Dr. Royah Vaezi, Dr. Nicholas C. Manoukis and two anonymous reviewers for the help provided in improving the manuscript.

Funding

This study received support from Cariplo-Regione Lombardia “IMPROVE” (FS).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    Daniele Merli

  2. Centro Grandi Strumenti, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    Barbara Mannucci & Federica Corana

  3. Department of Mathematics, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 5, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    Federico Bassetti

  4. Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    Marco Falchetto, Anna R. Malacrida, Giuliano Gasperi & Francesca Scolari

Authors
  1. Daniele Merli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Barbara Mannucci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Federico Bassetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Federica Corana
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Marco Falchetto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Anna R. Malacrida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Giuliano Gasperi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Francesca Scolari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francesca Scolari.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(PDF 1427 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Merli, D., Mannucci, B., Bassetti, F. et al. Larval Diet Affects Male Pheromone Blend in a Laboratory Strain of the Medfly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae). J Chem Ecol 44, 339–353 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-018-0939-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-018-0939-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation