Humidity and host-plant as important factors influencing the pre-imaginal development of fruit flies (Diptera : Tephritidae)
2004
Duyck, Pierre François | David, Patrice | Glenac, Serge | Quilici, Serge
In Reunion Island, four species of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) cause damages on fruit crops namely the Mascarenes fruit fly, Ceratitis catoirii (Guérin Mèneville), the Mediterranean fruit fly, C. capitata (Wiedemann), the Natal fruit fly, C. rosa Karsch and the recent invasive peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders). The influence of four important host fruit (guava, Psidium guava L., strawberry guava, Psidium cattleyanum Sabine mango, Mangifera indica L. and Indian almond, Terminalia catappa L.) on larval development and of a range of relative humidity on pupal development and the influence have been studied in the laboratory. Larval host had strong effects on survival, developmental times and pupal sizes (that possibly have consequences on fecundity of the female in the same generation). Humidity, especially low levels (30 and 50% RH), had very important effect on survival depending on the fruit fly species. Indeed, C. capitata and B. zonata showed a high tolerance to dryness contrary to C. catoirii and C. rosa. These fruit fly species live in different ecological niches that can overlap. Results of this study are discussed according to the current distribution of these four fruit flies species in Reunion Island. Predictions can be also made on the future distribution of the invasive peach fruit fly. (Résumé d'auteur)
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