MORPHOMETRY OF ANASTREPHA FRATERCULUS (WIED) (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) RELATED TO NATIVE MYRTACEAE HOSTS

ABSTRACT The fruit-fly Anastrepha fraterculus uses the myrtacean fruits as its main primary hosts. The insect size might be an indicator of aptitude and fecundity, and morphometric studies are used to help in those identifications. This study aimed to verify the association among fruit weight, puparial weight and wing size of fruit-flies that developed in different myrtacean species. Yellow strawberry guava, cattle guava, guava and feijoa fruits were sampled from 5 trees of each species. The fruits were weighed, and the puparia originated from them were also weighed and individualized. The number, gender and total right-wing area of the flies were registered. Mean fruit and puparial weights and wing sizes were compared. Mean puparial weight was higher in guava and cattle guava. The largest mean wing area was recorded for individuals from guavas; the smallest, for those from yellow strawberry guava. The fruit and puparial weights did not present a significant association in yellow strawberry guava, cattle guava and feijoa. In guavas, the correlation between fruit and puparial weights was negative. The fruit weight and wing area in all myrtacean species did not show any correlation. These results indicate the fly is able to develop similarly in all sampled myrtacean species.

摘要 南美按实蝇（Anastrepha fraterculus）以桃金娘科果实作为主要寄主。该昆虫的体型可作为其适合度与繁殖力的指示指标，相关形态测量研究可辅助此类鉴定工作。本研究旨在探究取食不同桃金娘科物种果实的实蝇，其果实重量、蛹重与翅型之间的关联。本研究从每个物种的5株植株上采集了黄草莓番石榴、牛番石榴、番石榴以及菲油果的果实。对采集的果实进行称重，同时对由这些果实孵化出的蛹进行称重并单独标记记录。记录供试实蝇的数量、性别以及单只右翼的总面积。对各组的平均果实重量、平均蛹重以及平均翅尺寸开展了对比分析。结果显示，番石榴组与牛番石榴组的平均蛹重更高；番石榴组实蝇的平均右翼面积最大，黄草莓番石榴组实蝇的平均右翼面积最小。在黄草莓番石榴、牛番石榴与菲油果组中，果实重量与蛹重未呈现显著相关性；而在番石榴组中，二者呈现负相关关系。所有供试桃金娘科物种组中，果实重量与翅面积均未呈现相关性。上述结果表明，南美按实蝇在所有供试桃金娘科物种果实上均可完成相似的生长发育过程。