Female remating behaviour in pest tephritid fruit flies and its implication for the sterile insect technique

Abstract

The efficiency of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)targeting tephritid fruit flies depends not only on sterile males mating withwild females, but also on their ability to transmit an ejaculate and inhibitfemale remating. Methods: Here we review female remating in tephritidflies of economic importance, inhibition of female remating by males and focuson the factors that can modulate post-copulatory mating behaviour.Results: Remating by females can vary greatly between fruit fly species, bothin mating frequency and time elapsed between matings (sexual refractoryperiod). While some species seem to be monandrous, others vary in their degreeof polyandry -- ranging from only two matings in their lifetime to 8 matingsper day. Remating inhibition can occur through sperm, accessory gland products (AGPs)or copulatory courtship. However, the mechanisms by which males inhibit femalemating are still poorly understood. Conclusions: Despitemany studies on the sexual behaviour of tephritids, we still know little aboutthe processes occurring during the copula and how the different components ofthe ejaculate can affect female post-copulatory behaviour. AGPs have been shownto affect mating inhibition in C. capitata, B. tryoni and A.fraterculus but not in A. ludens. Thus, the effect of male AGPsshould not be generalized throughout tephritids. Understanding how AGPs modifyfemale post-copulatory behaviour can be useful in developing alternativecontrol tactics such as the use of antiafrodisiac substances.