A set of multi-entry identification keys to African frugivorous flies (Diptera, Tephritidae)

Massimiliano Virgilio,Ian White,Marc De Meyer

doi:10.3897/zookeys.428.7366

Abstract

Tephritid fruit flies, or true fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) include approximately 500 genera and 4800 valid species (Norrbom 2004), whose vast majority (95%) is represented by phytophagous species (reviewed in Aluja and Norrbom 1999). Among them, frugivorous flies represent approximately 25–30% of all tephritid species, occur in tropical and temperate regions of all continents except the Antarctic and are predominantly distributed in five main genera (Anastrepha Schiner, Rhagoletis Loew, Ceratitis MacLeay, Dacus Fabricius and Bactrocera Macquart). Frugivorous tephritids attack healthy fruit still on the tree. The larvae develop inside the fruit, feed on the plant tissues, and complete their developmental cycle in the soil. A relatively limited number (approximately 100) of frugivorous species are phytophagous pests whose larvae attack pulp and/or seeds of cultivated fruits and crops of agricultural importance. In Africa, damage on commercial fruits and crops is caused mainly by polyphagous species belonging to the genera Ceratitis, Dacus and Bactrocera (De Meyer et al. 2008; ZooKeys 428: 97–108 (2014) doi: 10.3897/zookeys.428.7366 www.zookeys.org

Highlights

Tephritid fruit flies, or "true" fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) include approximately 500 genera and 4800 valid species (Norrbom 2004), whose vast majority (95%) is represented by phytophagous species
The morphological identification of African tephritids largely depends on the use of classical single-entry keys. These keys are available for most African genera (e.g., White 2006), with the important exception of the genus Ceratitis, whose species can only be identified through separate subgeneric keys (De Meyer 1996, 1998, 2000; De Meyer and Freidberg 2006)
To try and reduce the effects of some of the aforementioned issues, we developed a set of freely available multi-entry identification keys for African fruit flies

Summary

Introduction

"true" fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) include approximately 500 genera and 4800 valid species (Norrbom 2004), whose vast majority (95%) is represented by phytophagous species (reviewed in Aluja and Norrbom 1999). A set of multi-entry identification keys to African frugivorous flies (Diptera,Tephritidae)

Results

Conclusion