Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata (2015) 156, 170-177

María Lourdes Aparicio, María Silvina Fenoglio and Martín Videla (2015)
Leafminer egg distribution at decreasing leaf availability levels: do females avoid intraspecific competition?
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 156 (2), 170-177
Abstract: Female oviposition choices are expected to maximize offspring fitness. Leafminers often lay their eggs in an aggregated fashion, leading to exploitative or interference competition among larvae. However, few studies have explored whether egg distribution patterns vary with leaf availability and whether these changes are an attempt to reduce competition effects on offspring fitness. Here, we evaluated the egg distribution patterns of the specialist leafminer Liriomyza commelinae Frost (Diptera: Agromyzidae) for decreasing levels of leaf availability of their host plant Commelina erecta L. (Commelinaceae). Competition effects on insect performance were evaluated at various leaf larval densities in the laboratory and egg distribution was investigated for a wide range of leaf availability levels, both in the laboratory and in the field. Liriomyza commelinae performance indicated that larvae competed for resources (exploitative competition), with a negative impact on survival and adult size at emergence when four or more larvae shared a leaf. The distribution of the immature stages of the leafminer was aggregated in both the laboratory and in the field. As this pattern did not change with leaf availability, increasing levels of larval competition occurred when available leaves were scarce. Moreover, the proportion of total individuals subjected to the strongest competition level (six or more larvae per leaf) increased exponentially at the lower levels of leaf availability. Competition was found to be irrelevant as a selective force in shaping L. commelinae oviposition decisions, as egg distribution was aggregated and did not vary with leaf availability, leading to relatively strong levels of competition. The egg distribution patterns observed in L. commelinae may have resulted from trade-offs between competition and factors such as enemy-free space and leaf quality.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Martín Videla, María S. Fenoglio

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Liriomyza commelinae (weed bioagent)