Ecological significance of male attractant in the defence and mating strategies of the fruit fly, Bactrocera papayae |
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Authors: | Tan Keng Hong and Ritsuo Nishida |
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Institution: | (1) School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia;(2) Pesticide Research Institute, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan |
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Abstract: | After being acclimatized to feeding on fruit flies, the Asian house gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus Duméril & Bibron (Gekkonidae:Squamata), consumed fewer methyl eugenol (ME) fed male fruit flies, Bactrocera papayae Drew & Hancock (Tephritidae: Diptera) than when offered ME-deprived males. After one-day exposure to only ME-fed males, the geckos avoided feeding on female flies when in the presence of ME-fed males. When mechanically disturbed, the ME-fed males spontaneously ejaculated a rectal secretion which contains phenyl propanoids that deter the predator.The ME-fed males also competed significantly better than normal (ME-deprived) males for virgin females. Male B. papayae converts ME to three other phenyl propanoids which act in concert as a sex pheromone to attract females during courtship and as an allomone to the gecko. |
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Keywords: | Bactrocera papayae sex pheromone allomone fruit fly defence Asian house gecko – Hemidactylus frenatus male attractant methyl eugenol pharmacophagy |
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