BEHAVIORAL EVIDENCE FOR FRUIT ODOR DISCRIMINATION AND SYMPATRIC HOST RACES OF RHAGOLETIS POMONELLA FLIES IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES

The recent shift of Rhagoletis pomonella (Diptera: Tephritidae) from its native host downy hawthorn, Crataegus mollis, to introduced domesticated apple, Malus domestica, in the eastern United States is a model for sympatric host race formation. However, the fly is also present in the western United...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Evolution 2012-11, Vol.66 (11), p.3632-3641
Main Authors: Linn Jr, Charles E., Yee, Wee L., Sim, Sheina B., Cha, Dong H., Powell, Thomas H. Q., Goughnour, Robert B., Feder, Jeffrey L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal behavior
Animal populations
Animals
Apple maggot fly
Behavior, Animal
BRIEF COMMUNICATION
Crataegus - chemistry
Discrimination (Psychology)
ecological speciation
Evolution
Evolutionary genetics
flight tunnel
Fruit - chemistry
Genetic Speciation
host plant volatiles
Host plants
Insect behavior
Insect larvae
Insects
Larvae
Malus - chemistry
Odorants
Odors
olfaction
Olfactory discrimination
Olfactory Perception
Phytophagous insects
Speciation
Species Specificity
Sympatry
Tephritidae - genetics
Tephritidae - physiology
Tunnels
United States
Volatile Organic Compounds - chemistry
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Summary:The recent shift of Rhagoletis pomonella (Diptera: Tephritidae) from its native host downy hawthorn, Crataegus mollis, to introduced domesticated apple, Malus domestica, in the eastern United States is a model for sympatric host race formation. However, the fly is also present in the western United States, where it may have been introduced via infested apples within the last 60 years. In addition to apple, R. pomonella also infests two hawthorns in the West, one the native black hawthorn, C. douglasii, and the other the introduced English ornamental hawthorn, C. monogyna. Here, we test for behavioral evidence of host races in the western United States. through flight tunnel assays of western R. pomonella flies to host fruit volatile blends. We report that western apple, black hawthorn, and ornamental hawthorn flies showed significantly increased levels of upwind-directed flight to their respective natal compared to nonnatal fruit volatile blends, consistent with host race status. We discuss the implications of the behavioral results for the origin(s) of western R. pomonella, including the possibility that western apple flies were not introduced, but may represent a recent shift from local hawthorn fly populations.
ISSN:0014-3820
1558-5646
DOI:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2012.01719.x