ISSN:
1572-8889
Keywords:
Delia antiqua
;
Anthomyiidae
;
Diptera
;
herbivore
;
egg-laying
;
host-finding
;
sensory systems
;
chemoreception
;
n-dipropyl disulfide
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract Behavioral responses of female onion flies, Delia antiqua (Meigen), to hostplant cues were quantified during encounters of individual flies with onion plants and onion foliar surrogates. The behavioral repertoire of such females included sitting, grooming, running up and down foliar surfaces, extension of the proboscis such that the labellum contacted foliar and soil surfaces, movements of the tip of the abdomen over surfaces (surface probing), subsurface probing of soil crevices with the ovipositor, and oviposition. Sequences of behaviors preceding oviposition were probabilistic rather than highly stereotyped but generally followed the order given above. Foliar surrogates were used to determine the effects of n-dipropyl disulfide (Pr2S2) on the sequence of behaviors leading up to oviposition. The addition of a Pr2S2-treated surrogate to a cage increased the frequency of alighting on that surrogate but also increased alighting on a nearby foliar surrogate without Pr2S2. After alighting, females encountering surrogates treated with Pr2S2 had shorter latencies to proboscis extension and surface probing, spent less time sitting and grooming, and had runs of shorter duration. These females were also more likely to make the transition from probing of surfaces of foliage and soil to subsurface probing of soil crevices and oviposition. Thus, rather than mediating a particular step in the behavioral sequence, Pr2S2 played a role throughout the sequence leading up to oviposition. Collectively, these data and past studies on the onion fly support the hypothesis that egglaying is triggered by a temporal summation of inputs to the central nervous system from various sensory modalities rather than strict behavioral chaining, with each transition effected by some unique cue.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01052231
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