Abstract
The West Indian fruit fly, Anastrepha obliqua, is one of seven species of quarantine importance of its genus and is one of the most economically important fruit fly pests in Colombia. The taxonomic status of this species is a key issue for further implementation of any pest management program. Several molecular studies have shown enough variability within Anastrepha obliqua to suggest its taxonomic status could be revised; however, there are no morphological studies supporting this hypothesis. The aim of this work was to describe the morphological variability of Colombian populations of Anastrepha obliqua, comparing this variability with that of other samples from the Neotropics. Measurements were performed on individuals from 11 populations collected from different geographic Colombian localities and were compared with populations from Mexico (2), Dominica Island (1), Peru (1) and Brazil (2). Linear morphometric analyses were performed using 23 female morphological traits, including seven variables of the aculeus, three of the thorax, and six of the wing; seven ratios among them were also considered. Discriminant function analyses showed significant morphological differentiation among the Colombian populations, separating them into two groups. Furthermore, in the comparisons between Colombian samples with those from other countries, three clusters were observed. The possibility of finding more than one species within the nominal Anastrepha obliqua population is discussed.
Highlights
Anastrepha Schiner is the most diverse and economically important genus of fruit flies in the Neotropics, with more than 250 described species (Norrbom et al 2012)
The results showed two well-separated groups, the first of which included the Mexican population, the Colombian population and one Brazilian population while the remaining Brazilian populations formed a second group
The aim of this study was to describe the morphologic variability of A. obliqua through the use of multivariate morphometric analyzes among Colombian populations distributed throughout the country and through comparisons with populations coming from its distribution range such as Mexico, Peru, Brazil and Dominica Island
Summary
Anastrepha Schiner is the most diverse and economically important genus of fruit flies in the Neotropics, with more than 250 described species (Norrbom et al 2012). Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), known as the West Indian fruit fly, has quarantine status and is one of the most harmful species within the genus (Norrbom et al 2012, RuízArce et al 2012). It is distributed from northern Mexico to southeast Brazil including several Caribbean islands (Ruíz-Arce et al 2012). The West Indian fruit fly belongs to the fraterculus group, which involves 34 species (Norrbom et al 2012) from which one complex of cryptic species has been recognized (Hernández-Ortiz et al 2012). The taxonomic status of A. obliqua has been questioned, and the existence of a group of cryptic species within the nominal species is presumed (Ruíz-Arce et al 2012). The taxonomic status of A. obliqua has been questioned, and the existence of a group of cryptic species within the nominal species is presumed (Ruíz-Arce et al 2012). Hernández-Ortiz et al (2004, 2012, 2015) studied Latin American populations of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) using linear morphometry of the aculeus and the wings and found eight different morphotypes, showing that the use of morphological characters and linear morphometry is a useful tool for the study of cryptic species in the genus Anastrepha, especially in the fraterculus group
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