Microsatellite analysis reveals remating by wild Mediterranean fruit fly females, Ceratitis capitata

Abstract

Accurate estimates of remating in wild female insects are required for an understanding of the causes of variation in remating between individuals, populations and species. Such estimates are also of profound importance for major economic fruit pests such as the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata). A major method for the suppression of this pest is the sterile insect technique (SIT), which relies on matings between mass-reared, sterilized males and wild females. Remating by wild females will thus impact negatively on the success of SIT. We used microsatellite markers to determine the level of remating in wild (field-collected) Mediterranean fruit fly females from the Greek Island of Chios. We compared the four locus microsatellite genotypes of these females and their offspring. Our data showed 7.1% of wild females remated. Skewed paternity among progeny arrays provided further evidence for double matings. Our lowest estimate of remating was 3.8% and the highest was 21%.