Is sexually transmitted fungal infection evidence for size-related mating success in Neotropical guava fruit flies?

• Ingemar Hedström ^[2] ; Julián Monge-Nájera ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidad de Costa Rica

     Universidad de Costa Rica

     Hospital, Costa Rica

     
  2. [2] Mid Sweden University Department of Applied Science
• Localización: Revista de Biología Tropical, ISSN 0034-7744, Vol. 46, Nº. 4, 1998, págs. 1131-1134
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen
  • español

    Se estudió poblaciones naturales de la mosca frutera Anastrepha striata Schiner, en dos lugares de Costa Rica. Los hongos Laboulbeniales se transmiten en éstas durante la cópula. Hembras y machos con hongos en las patas y/o parte ventral del tórax (machos), y en ambos lados del noto y/o base dorsal del abdomen (hembras), tenían alas significativamente más largas que los individuos no parasitados. Esto sugiere que los individuos más grandes logran más apareamientos.

  • English

    The influence of wing length on mate preference was examined in natural populations of the Neotropical guava fruit fly, Anastrepha striata Schiner, at two locations in Costa Rica. Based on evidence that the fungi are transmitted during mating, site-specific infection by Laboulbeniales fungi on the body surface was used to assess mating history. Males and females that carried fungi on the legs and/or on the ventral part of the thorax (males), and on both sides of the notum and/or the dorsal base of the abdomen (females), had significantly longer wings than males and females without fungi. This suggests that individuals of both sexes with longer wings (i.e. larger individuals) enjoy higher mating success. Fungus infection is more frequent in the wet than in the seasonally dry forest, possibly because hosts are available year-round in the wet forest.