Comparing peripheral olfactory coding with host preference in the rhagoletis species complex

Recent studies have shown that flies from sympatric populationsof Rhagoletis pomonella infesting hawthorn, apple, and floweringdogwood fruit can distinguish among unique volatile blends identifiedfrom each host. Analysis of peripheral chemoreception in Rhagoletisflies suggests that changes in receptor specificity and/or receptorneuron sensitivity could impact olfactory preference among thehost populations and their hybrids. In an attempt to validatethese claims, we have combined flight tunnel analyses and singlesensillum electrophysiology in F₂ and backcross hybrids displayinga variety of behavioral phenotypes. Results show that differencesin peripheral chemoreception among second-generation adultsdo not provide a direct correlation between peripheral codingand olfactory behavior. We conclude that either the plasticityof the central nervous system in Rhagoletis can compensate forsignificant alterations in peripheral coding or that peripheralchanges present subtle effects on behavior not easily detectablewith current techniques. The results of this study imply thatthe basis for olfactory behavior in Rhagoletis has a complicatedgenetic and neuronal basis, even for populations with a recentdivergence in preference.