Data from: Cold tolerance of adult African fig flies, Zaprionus indianus (Diptera: Drosophilidae)
Data files
Jun 22, 2026 version files 27.88 KB
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Ctmin_after_adult_acclimation.csv
8.22 KB
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Ctmin_after_developmental_acclimation.csv
8.71 KB
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lower_lethal_temperature.csv
754 B
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README.md
5.36 KB
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survival_after_adult_acclimation.csv
1.66 KB
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survival_after_developmental_acclimation.csv
1.58 KB
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Survival_after_rapid_cold_hardening.csv
1.60 KB
Abstract
African fig fly (AFF), Zaprionus indianus (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is an invasive pest that has established in temperate regions in recent years. Overwintering success is a critical factor underlying the potential geographic distribution of insects, yet the cold tolerance of AFF has not been extensively characterized. Here, we characterized cold tolerance and its plasticity in adult AFF originally collected from central Kentucky, a mid-latitude state with relatively mild but variable winter conditions. Specifically, we measured survival after acute cold shock and critical thermal minimum (CTmin), as well as how these traits respond to cold acclimation and rapid cold hardening (RCH). Cold acclimation, either throughout development or restricted to the adult stage, significantly enhanced survival after cold shock, as nearly all adults acclimated to 18℃ survived a one-hour cold shock at -5℃, while none of the adults acclimated to 25 or 28℃ survived. Cold acclimation similarly improved CTmin, as acclimation of adults to 18℃ decreased CTmin by approximately 2℃ compared to adults acclimated at the highest temperature (28℃). Developmental acclimation also lowered CTmin, and in this case the acclimation response was stronger in males than females. Finally, cold tolerance was improved by RCH. In both males and females, as little as 1 h at 6℃ significantly improved flies’ ability to survive subzero cold shocks. Together, our findings show that both long-term acclimation and RCH can improve AFF's ability to withstand cold. Also, the level of cold tolerance we report is comparable to other temperate drosophilids, suggesting this species’ range may not be as limited by its cold tolerance as originally presumed.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.7d7wm389z
Description of the data and file structure
Flies were acclimated at three different temperatures (18, 25, and 28°C) as either adults or throughout development. After these acclimation treatments, we measured their ability to survive subzero cold shocks, and we measured their critical thermal minima. Flies were also treated with rapid cold hardening prior to measuring cold shock tolerance.
Files and variables
File: lower_lethal_temperature.csv
Description: Raw data for survival at different cold shock temperatures to determine the lower lethal temperature.
Variables
- temperature: The temperature (in degrees Celsius) flies were exposed to for 1 h
- sex: The sex of the group of flies tested
- replicate: The replicate number for each combination of temperature and sex
- live: The number of flies alive 24 h after the temperature treatment
- dead: The number of flies dead 24 h after temperature treatment
- total: The total number of flies tested for each replicate
File: survival_after_adult_acclimation.csv
Description: Raw data for survival at different cold shock temperatures following acclimation to different temperatures during the adult stage.
Variables
- acclimation: The temperature (in degrees Ceslsius) flies were acclimated to prior to testing cold tolerance.
- treatment: The cold shock temperature (in degrees Celsius) flies were exposed to.
- sex: The sex of the group of flies tested
- replicate: The replicate number for each combination of temperature and sex
- alive: The number of flies alive 24 h after the temperature treatment
- dead: The number of flies dead 24 h after temperature treatment
- total: The total number of flies tested for each replicate
- survival_rate: The proportion of total flies that survived
File: survival_after_developmental_acclimation.csv
Description: Raw data for survival at different cold shock temperatures following acclimation to different temperatures throughout development.
Variables
- acclimation: The temperature (in degrees Ceslsius) flies were acclimated to prior to testing cold tolerance.
- treatment: The cold shock temperature (in degrees Celsius) flies were exposed to.
- sex: The sex of the group of flies tested
- replicate: The replicate number for each combination of temperature and sex
- alive: The number of flies alive 24 h after the temperature treatment
- dead: The number of flies dead 24 h after temperature treatment
- total: The total number of flies tested for each replicate
- survival_rate: The proportion of total flies that survived
File: Ctmin_after_adult_acclimation.csv
Description: Raw data for critical thermal minima following acclimation to different temperatures during the adult stage.
Variables
- acclimation: The temperature (in degrees Ceslsius) flies were acclimated to prior to testing cold tolerance.
- sex: The sex of fly tested
- replicate: The replicate number for each combination of acclimation temperature and sex
- ctmin: The critical thermal minimum (in degrees Celsius) for that fly
File: Survival_after_rapid_cold_hardening.csv
Description: Raw survival data for flies exposed to rapid cold hardening prior to testing cold shock tolerance.
Variables
- Sex: The sex of the group of flies tested
- Pre_Exposure_Temp: The temperature (in degrees Celsius) flies were exposed to prior to testing cold shock tolerance
- Exposure_Duration: The duration of time (in hours) flies were exposed to the "Pre_Exxposure_Temp" prior to testing cold shock tolerance
- Replicate: The replicate number for each combination of exposure temperature, time, and sex.
- Trials: The total number of flies tested for each replicate
- Successes: The number of flies alive 24 h after the temperature treatment
- Dead: The number of flies dead 24 h after temperature treatment
File: Ctmin_after_developmental_acclimation.csv
Description: Raw data for critical thermal minima following acclimation to different temperatures throughout development.
Variables
- acclimation: The temperature (in degrees Ceslsius) flies were acclimated to prior to testing cold tolerance.
- sex: The sex of fly tested
- replicate: The replicate number for each combination of acclimation temperature and sex
- ctmin: The critical thermal minimum (in degrees Celsius) for that fly
Code/software
R v4.5.1 (R Core Team) was used for all analyses. Binomial generalized linear models with a logit link implemented in base R (stats package) were used to analyze survival data (lethal temperature determination, adult and developmental acclimation). The lme4 package's linear mixed-effects models were used to examine the CTmin data for adult and developmental acclimation, utilizing replicate as a random factor and acclimation temperature, sex, and their interaction as fixed effects. The DHARMa package was used to evaluate model assumptions, and pairwise comparisons were carried out using Tukey-HSD test.
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- NA
Data was derived from the following sources:
- NA