Journal of Applied Entomology (2011) 135, 554-563

A. Sarakatsanou, A.D. Diamantidis, S.A. Papanastasiou, K. Bourtzis and N.T. Papadopoulos (2011)
Effects of Wolbachia on fitness of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Journal of Applied Entomology 135 (7), 554-563
Abstract: Wolbachia pipientis is a widespread endosymbiont of insects and other arthropods exerting a wide range of biological effects on their hosts. A growing number of recent studies document the influence of Wolbachia on reproduction and lifespan of insect host species. However, little is known regarding effects of Wolbachia on the demographic traits of different host populations. Moreover, whether different Wolbachia strains exert different effects on fitness components of their hosts remains largely unknown. We studied the effects of (a) the Wolbachia strain wCer2 on fitness components of two laboratory lines of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) and (b) two different Wolbachia strains (wCer2 and wCer4) on one of the Mediterranean fruit fly lines. Wolbachia infection (wCer2) shortens the egg-to-adult developmental duration of both C. capitata lines, although it prolongs embryonic development. In one of the two lines, egg-to-adult mortality increased. Wolbachia infection shortens adult lifespan (to a different extent in males and females) and reduces female fecundity. The different Wolbachia strains differentially affect both immature mortality and developmental duration, and adult longevity and female fecundity. Our findings demonstrate both differential response of two C. capitata lines to Wolbachia infection and differential effects of two Wolbachia strains on the same Mediterranean fruit fly line. Practical and theoretical implications of our findings are discussed.
(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): Nikos T. Papadopoulos, Kostas Bourtzis

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.
	Ceratitis capitata
Wolbachia (genus - entomopathogens)	Ceratitis capitata