Dependence of egg hatching onWolbachiadensity in a parthenogenetic weevil revealed by antibiotic treatment

Naupactini is a tribe of Neotropical broad-nosed weevils highly diverse in South America. This group includes several parthenogenetic species, some them harmful for agriculture and invasive around the world. Although hypotheses based on polyploidy hybridization have been proposed to explain origin parthenogenesis weevils, infection with bacterium Wolbachia pipientis may be involved reproduction species. In this contribution, we studied role reproductive biology Pantomorus postfasciatus Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) through curing experiment using tetracycline. weevil has mixed mode including sexual populations. Exposure an antibiotic did not affect fecundity, but reduce egg hatching comparison untreated individuals. Consequently, inferred that most probably takes part P. postfasciatus, either by exerting nutritive functions oogenesis necessary hatching, or induction thelytokous parthenogenesis. was totally cured, load significantly lower treated than control females. Thereby, hypothesize minimum threshold density required reproduction. We conclude all analyses support