Genetics and Mating Competitiveness of <I>Ceratitis capitata</I> (Diptera: Tephritidae) Strains Carrying the Marker <I>Sergeant</I>, <I>Sr<SUP> <I>2</I> </SUP> </I>

Abstract

A dominant mutation, Sergeant (Sr 2 ), which affects expression of a third stripe on the abdomen of the Mediterranean fruit y, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), was recently isolated and the results of an extended genetic analysis are reported here. In addition, eld cage data are presented on the mating competitiveness of strains carrying this mutation, including a genetic sexing strain (GSS). The incorporation of a phenotypic marker, such as Sr 2 , in a Mediterranean fruit y GSS would complement, and could replace, the use of uorescent dye for monitoring sterile insect technique programs and increase program efciency by improving sterile and wild y identication procedures. The mutation is homozygous lethal, and it is located on chromosome 5 at position 78B and 60D on the salivary and trichogen polytene maps, respectively. The development of the Sr 2 GSS is described here, together with data on tness and penetrance of the mutation. The eld-cage results demonstrated 1) random mating between males and females of laboratory strains carrying or lacking Sr 2 , 2) comparable sexual compatibility of Sr 2 and non-Sr 2 GSS with two wild populations, and 3) comparable mating competitiveness of males from Sr 2 and non-Sr 2 GSS with wild males. From these results, no signicant effects of the mutation on the sexual competitiveness of strains carrying Sr 2 were detectable. The ndings of this study point to a satisfactory overall genetic as well as mating behavior prole of Mediterranean fruit y strains carrying the Sr 2 mutation and clearly warrant further evaluation of this mutation in Mediterranean fruit y GSS.