Effect of two attractive substances on feeding behavior, discrimination threshold and longevity of adults of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract

The fruit-fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824), is one of the most economically important pests of agriculture in Brazil, damaging many species of fruit. The carbohydrates and the acids are common substances found in the hosts of C. capitata that act by supplying energy and stimulating ovipositon, respectively, besides being phagostimulants. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of the attractive substances (sucrose and citric acid) in adults of a laboratory population, studying the following parameters: diet selection behavior (phagostimulation), discrimination threshold, and longevity. Males and females showed similar selective behavior for the different attractive substances. However, females presented larger discrimination thresholds than males for the two attractive substances. Both sexes had similar longevity when reared on the same diet. The results demonstrated that sucrose is preponderant in the warranty of longevity and also regulates the amount of diet ingested by the adults, unlike citric acid, that did not have influence in any of the parameters investigated.