Bulletin of Entomological Research (2013) 103, 303-309

A. Canale, G. Benelli, F. Lanzo, P. Giannotti, V. Mazzoni and A. Lucchi (2013)
The courtship song of fanning males in the fruit fly parasitoid Psyttalia concolor (Szépligeti) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
Bulletin of Entomological Research 103 (3), 303-309
Abstract: In this paper we describe acoustically the wing-fanning behaviour showed by the male of the braconid Psyttalia concolor towards females and other conspecific males. Psyttalia concolor is a synovigenic koinobiont larval-pupal endoparasitoid of many Tephritidae, used in olive crops to control the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae. In this braconid male wing fanning produces a courtship song characterised by sequences of homogenous pulses with harmonic structure and a fundamental frequency of about 180 Hz. Song parameters can vary according to the behavioural context. Statistically significant differences, both in terms of pulse frequency and duration, characterise fanning towards females in comparison with male-male approaches. Moreover, the pulse duration is associated with the fanning song displayed before a successful courtship. Our observations allowed us to define the airborne component of the sound and to definitely confirm the exclusive role of the wings in signal production within sexual communication in P. concolor.
(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): Andrea Lucchi, Giovanni Benelli, Valerio Mazzoni, Angelo Canale

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bactrocera oleae
Psyttalia concolor (parasitoid)	Bactrocera oleae