title: Cuticular hydrocarbons corroborate the distinction between lowland and highland Natal fruit fly (Tephritidae, Ceratitis rosa) populations.
abstract: The cuticular hydrocarbons (CHs) and morphology of two Ceratitis rosa Karsch (Diptera: Tephritidae) populations, putatively belonging to two cryptic taxa, were analysed. The chemical profiles were characterised by two-dimensional gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. CHs of Ceratitis rosa that originated from the lowlands and highlands of Kenya comprised of n-alkanes, monomethylalkanes, dimethylalkanes and unsaturated hydrocarbons in the range of the carbon backbone from C14 to C37. Hydrocarbons containing C29, C31, C33 and C35 carbon atoms predominated in these two populations. 2-Methyltriacontane was the predominant compound in both populations. Quantitative differences in the distribution of hydrocarbons of different chain lengths, mainly the C22, C32, C33 and C34 compounds of these two populations, were observed despite indistinct qualitative differences in these hydrocarbons. Morphological analyses of male legs confirmed that the flies belong to different morphotypes of Ceratitis rosa previously labelled as R1 and R2 for lowland and highland populations, respectively. A statistical analysis of the CH compositions of the putative R1 and R2 species showed distinct interspecific identities, with several CHs specific for each of the lowland and highland populations. This study supports a hypothesis that the taxon Ceratitis rosa consists of at least two biological species.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ecologia Química, Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, AL, Brazil; Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry ASCR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nám. 2, CZ-166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vaníčková
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry ASCR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nám. 2, CZ-166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic; Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague, Technická 5, CZ-166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Radka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Břízová
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Center of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pompeiano
authors.affiliation: International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology, PO Box 30772-00100 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Sunday
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ekesi
authors.affiliation: Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marc De
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Meyer
keywords: Ceratitis rosa; GC×GC/MS; chemotaxonomy; cryptic species; integrative taxonomy