Niche heterogeneity associated with Wolbachia in the Uzi fly, Exorista sorbillans Wiedemann (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Abstract

The Uzi fly, Exorista sorbillans Wiedemann (syn. E. bombycis Louis), a tachinid endoparasitoid of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. is known to exhibit patterns of geographic variation among populations and suspected to consists of several very closely related cryptic species. The Uzi fly harbours Wolbachia which induces cytoplasmic incompatibility, sex ratio distortion, fecundity reduction and abnormalities in oogenesis of uninfected female, irrespective of whether the males are infected or not. In our study we have investigated the effects of ecological factors on Wolbachia induced reproductive incompatibility and fecundity. Crossing experiments suggest high impact of ecological variations onrninduction of cytoplasmic incompatibility and diversification of Uzi fly, E. sorbillans among different populations.