Do Mediterranean Fruit Flies Lek? Does It Matter?

Abstract

Saul and McCombs (1995) recently argued that existing data do not support the accepted notion that the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), exhibits lek behavior. In particular, these authors claimed that 1) the mating system of C. capitata is resource-based and 2) C. capitata males are not spatially aggregated. Here, I review field observations that are consistent with lek behavior in this species and hence contrary to these claims. Also, contrary to the view of Saul and McCombs (1995), knowing that the Mediterranean fruit fly leks stimulates many questions of interest from both basic and applied viewpoints.