Novel lures and COI sequences reveal cryptic new species of Bactrocera fruit flies in the Solomon Islands (Diptera, Tephritidae, Dacini).

Luc Leblanc,Francis Tsatsia,Camiel Doorenweerd

doi:10.3897/zookeys.1057.68375

Luc Leblanc, Francis Tsatsia + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1057.68375

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Journal: ZooKeys	Publication Date: Aug 27, 2021
Citations: 1	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Idaho, University of Hawaii System

Abstract

Results from a snap-shot survey of Dacine fruit flies carried out on three of the Solomon Islands in April 2018 are reported. Using traps baited with the male lures cue-lure, methyl eugenol, and zingerone, 30 of the 48 species previously known to occur in the Solomon Islands were collected. Six species are newly described here: Bactroceraallodistinctasp. nov., B.geminosimulatasp. nov., B.kolombangaraesp. nov., B.quasienochrasp. nov., B.tsatsiaisp. nov., and B.vargasisp. nov., all authored by Leblanc & Doorenweerd. An illustrated key to the 54 species now known to be present in the country is provided.

Highlights

Dacine fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacini), a species-rich Old World tropical group, is composed of 947 currently known species, including 83 crop pests (White and Elson-Harris 1992; Vargas et al 2015; Doorenweerd et al 2018)
We carried out a snap-shot survey on three islands (Guadalcanal, Kolombangara, Gizo), with the inclusion of zingerone lure, to collect fresh material and develop molecular diagnostic tools to help further characterize the species found in the Solomon Islands
In just a couple of weeks, we discovered six new species, including cryptic species that would not have been detectable without molecular characterization

Summary

Introduction

Dacine fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacini), a species-rich Old World tropical group, is composed of 947 currently known species, including 83 crop pests (White and Elson-Harris 1992; Vargas et al 2015; Doorenweerd et al 2018). We carried out a snap-shot survey on three islands (Guadalcanal, Kolombangara, Gizo), with the inclusion of zingerone lure, to collect fresh material and develop molecular diagnostic tools to help further characterize the species found in the Solomon Islands. In just a couple of weeks, we discovered six new species, including cryptic species that would not have been detectable without molecular characterization. We describe these new species and provide a key to the 54 species present in the Solomon Islands

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Conclusion