Anastrepha Species Research Articles

Hosts of fiveAnastrephaSpecies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico

Summary Host plant records are reported for 5 species of Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae) collected from wild and commercial fruit species in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

Temporal Overlap and Co-Occurrence in a Guild of Sub-Tropical Tephritid Fruit Flies.

Studies of community assembly have emphasized snapshot comparisons of spatially replicated samples from “natural” assemblages. Agro-ecosystems are characterized by relatively little habitat heterogeneity and no dispersal barriers for actively flying insects. Therefore, dynamic patterns of species segregation and aggregation are more likely to reflect the direct or indirect effects of species interactions. We studied the temporal organization of a guild of 21 congeneric species of Anastrepha that colonized fruit orchards in Monte Alegre do Sul, São Paulo, Brazil. This assemblage also included the introduced Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata. One hundred six consecutive weekly censuses (11 Jan 2002-16 Jan 2004) of flies in guava, loquat, and peach orchards revealed a pattern of minimum abundance during the coldest months of each year (June and July) and a maximum abundance during periods of flowering and fruit ripening. Overall, phenological overlap was greater than expected by chance. However, conditioned on the pattern of seasonal abundances, temporal occurrence and abundance matrices exhibited patterns of significant species segregation and anti-nestedness. In each year, the 3 orchards contained a small number of species pairs that exhibited statistically significant temporal segregation or aggregation. Most aggregated and segregated pairs reflected seasonal shifts in species presences that were not related to variation in air temperature. Most of the significant pairwise associations involved C. capitata: 8 of the 11 segregated pairs and 2 of the 7 aggregated pairs. These results suggest that species interactions between introduced and native species can be an important determinant of species associations in agro-ecosystems.

Redescription of three species of Anastrepha (Diptera, Tephritidae) rediscovered in Brazil, with the establishment of a new synonym.

The descriptions of Anastrepha matertela Zucchi and A. tenella Zucchi were based exclusively on the holotypes (female). Based on additional specimens collected in Brazil since their original descriptions, both species are redescribed and illustrated. A lectotype is designated for Anastrepha bivittata (Macquart, 1843), which also is redescribed and considered to be the senior synonym of A. fumipennis Lima, 1934.

Nuevos registros de especies del género Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae) en Tamaulipas, México

New records of two Anastrepha species for the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico are informed, A. bicolor (Stone) and A. distincta Greene collected by McPhail traps in neighboring areas to commercial orchards of citrus fruits and mangoes.

Eradication of tephritid fruit fly pest populations: outcomes and prospects.

The number of insect eradication programmes is rising in response to globalisation. A database of arthropod and plant pathogen eradications covers 1050 incursion responses, with 928 eradication programmes on 299 pest and disease taxa in 104 countries (global eradication database b3.net.nz/gerda). A subset of the database was assembled with 211 eradication or response programmes against 17 species of fruit flies (Tephritidae) in 31 countries, in order to investigate factors affecting the outcome. The failure rate for fruit fly eradication programmes was about 7%, with 0% for Ceratitis capitata (n = 85 programmes) and 0% for two Anastrepha species (n = 12 programmes), but 12% for 13 Bactrocera species (n = 108 programmes). A number of intended eradication programmes against long-established populations were not initiated because of cost and other considerations, or evolved during the planning phase into suppression programmes. Cost was dependent on area, ranged from $US 0.1 million to $US 240 million and averaged about $US 12 million (normalised to $US in 2012). In addition to the routine use of surveillance networks, quarantine and fruit destruction, the key tactics used in eradication programmes were male annihilation, protein bait sprays (which can attract both sexes), fruit destruction and the sterile insect technique. Eradication success generally required the combination of several tactics applied on an area-wide basis. Because the likelihood of eradication declines with an increase in the area infested, it pays to invest in effective surveillance networks that allow early detection and delimitation while invading populations are small, thereby greatly favouring eradication success.

Developing a mass-rearing system for Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) in north-eastern Brazil

Fruit fly pests in north-eastern Brazil include several species of the genus Anastrepha and the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). The most common species are Anastrepha zenildae Zucchi, the South American fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), the West Indian fruit fly Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) and Anastrepha sororcula Zucchi. In this study, attempts were made to mass-rear A. zenildae and A. fraterculus. The objective was to adapt local populations to laboratory conditions and develop mass-rearing systems for further utilization in integrated area-wide control programmes. Small colonies initially fed on guava fruits were developed in the laboratory. Adults were fed a diet made of brown sugar (60%), hydrolysed corn protein (26%), brewer’s yeast (5%) and honey (9%). Adult diets with other combinations of ingredients were also tested. The colonies of A. zenildae and A. fraterculus achieved mating and egg hatch rates of 32 and 39%, respectively. The best diets for adults, resulting in good egg hatch, were as follows: diet B — brown sugar (60%), hydrolysed corn protein (26%), brewer’s yeast (5%) and honey (5%); diet C — hydrolysed corn protein and white sugar (1:3); and diet D — soybean protein and white sugar (1:3). The best larval diet was based on 18% sugarcane bagasse and 9% protein. Adult mortality during the first 15 days was still high, over 50%. Adult recovery from pupae was over 70%. The best oviposition substrate was an agar-coated glass bottle. Mating compatibility was highest for A. fraterculus from the state of Sao Paulo. Mating between A. fraterculus and A. zenildae yielded no viable eggs.

Generic larval diet for mass-rearing three species of Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The objective of this study was to determine whether a generic diet could be developed for three species of Anastrepha: A. ludens, A. obliqua and A. serpentina. Laboratory and mass-rearing tests to assess the suitability of the A. ludens (Loew) (ALU) diet, normally used for rearing A. ludens, indicated that it was also suitable for rearing A. obliqua (Macquart) and A. serpentina (Wiedemann). Therefore, this diet appeared to be a suitable generic diet for the three species based on quality control parameters. In comparison with those observed when rearing larvae on the commonly used A. obliqua diet, the number of A. obliqua larvae recovered per g diet increased from 4.2 to 5.1, larval weight increased from 17 to 18.2 mg, pupation after 24 h from 89.3 to 96.9%, adult emergence from 91.5 to 93.7% and flight ability (% of fliers) from 86.1 to 90.4% when reared on the ALU diet. Usually, A. serpentina larvae are reared on the A. serpentina diet, but when reared on the ALU diet, larval recovery increased from 61.8 to 69.8%, number of larvae recovered per g diet from 3.7 to 4.4, larval weight from 21.7 to 23.8 mg and flight ability from 64.6 to 70.2%. These results show that the nutritional requirements of the three Anastrepha species are similar. The use of a generic diet for rearing the three species requires only one line to prepare the diet, reducing time and labour costs.

Fruit Flies and Lance Flies (Diptera: Tephritoidea) and Their Host Plants in a Conservation Unit of the Cerrado Biome in Tocantins, Brazil

Fruit flies (Tephritidae) and lance flies (Lonchaeidae) are specialized in exploring fruits as resource, and the native Angiospermae represent potential hosts for their frugivorous larvae. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of fruit fly and lance fly species with native host fruits in the Parque Estadual do Lajeado, Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil. The survey was carried out from May 2011 to Apr 2013, with sampling of fruits to obtain third instar larvae, pupae and adults. We sampled fruits of 18 plant species of which 7 were infested by fruit flies or lance flies, and from which emerged 888 adults of Neosilba spp. (Lonchaeidae), and 81 adults of Anastrepha (Tephritidae). Neosilba zadolicha emerged from fruit of Siparuna camporum, Dyospiros hispida, Annona coreacea, Mouriri pusa, Cheiloclinium cognatum and Salacia crassifolia. Neosilba bifida, N. glaberrima, and Neosilba n. sp.1, emerged from fruits of D. hispida. The species of Anastrepha obtained were: A. serpentina and A. nr. mucronota reared from S. crassifolia and C. cognatum fruits; A. obliqua from S. crassifolia, A. sororcula from Myrcia guianensis, A. turpiniae, and A. zenildae from M. pusa. Of the seven host fruit species, four were infested by Tephritidae, and six by Lonchaeidae. These are the first records for: A. sororcula in fruits of Myrcia guianensis, A. nr. mucronota in Salacia crassifolia and Cheiloclinium cognatum, A. serpentina in Cheiloclinium cognatum, and A. turpiniae and A. zenildae in Mouriri pusa. The associations of fruit flies and lance flies with host fruits is locally and temporally dependent on the flora, since the species of flies require available fruit species. In this survey we observed the highly polyphagous A. obliqua, that in this survey to colonize only one species of fruit.

Age- and temperature-related pupal eye colour changes in various tephritid fruit fly species with a view to optimizing irradiation timing

The application of the sterile insect technique to fruit flies involves the mass-production of the pest insects using an artificial diet, irradiation during a narrow time window at the late pupal or early imaginal stage to inhibit reproduction without affecting reproductive capacity, and then release into the target area where the sterile insects compete reproductively with their wild counterparts. The timing of irradiation is important to enable the release of males that are sterile but of good quality and exhibit an acceptable sexual performance. In this study, we examined the pupal development of 12 tephritid (Diptera: Tephritidae) species: Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), A. ludens (Loew), A. obliqua (Macquart), A. serpentina (Wiedemann), Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), B. dorsalis (Hendel), B. invadens (Drew, Tsuruta & White), B. oleae (Rossi), B. philippinensis (Drew & Hancock), B. tryoni (Froggatt), B. zonata (Saunders) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). The insects were reared at various temperatures, in the laboratory (15–28 °C) and under fluctuating natural conditions (20–35 °C). The gradual colour changes of the insect eyes during metamorphosis were observed and photographed, measuring the specific eye colour parameters of each species and matching them with the colour scale of the Munsell Soil Color Charts. The duration of pupal development and the time to emergence in Anastrepha species were longer than those in C. capitata and Bactrocera species at all the holding temperatures. The data obtained can be used by mass-rearing facilities to manage pupal holding conditions and as indicators for optimizing the timing of irradiation.

Large scale artificial rearing of Anastrepha sp.1 aff. fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Brazil

Some species of the genus Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae) are successfully managed by matching the sterile insect technique with parasitoid releases. Such strategies used in integrated pest management can be implemented only where insect mass-rearing programs are feasible. In this study, we show the process of domestication, rearing technology and quality control data obtained from 54 generations of Anastrepha sp.1 aff. fraterculus (Wiedemann, 1830) kept under fully artificial conditions. Eggs were collected by an artificial oviposition panel consisting of one side of the cage made of blue voile fabric externally covered with a thin layer of silicon rubber. They were then air-bubbled in water at 25 oC for 48 h before seeding. Larvae were reared on the regular laboratory artificial diet with 66 % of agar reduction turning over a semi-liquid diet, which reduced costs and improved insect quality. The adult and larval diets were composed of local ingredients including hydrolyzed yeast. When large-scale production of this fly is contemplated, the critical stage is larval development. This system of artificial rearing for A. fraterculus sp.1 developed in Brazil, allows for the production of a large number of insects of excellent quality using local ingredients and less agar in diet composition than the original medium used for this species. By reducing the interval of egg collection, the system might be optimized in terms of insect yield and, therefore, meet the demands of A. fraterculus sp.1 with regard to integrated pest management purposes.

Automatic identification of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Fruit flies are pests of major economic importance in agriculture. Among these pests it is possible to highlight some species of genus Anastrepha, which attack a wide range of fruits, and are widely distributed in the American tropics and subtropics. Researchers seek to identify fruit flies in order to implement management and control programs as well as quarantine restrictions. However, fruit fly identification is manually performed by scarce specialists through analysis of morphological features of the mesonotum, wing, and aculeus. Our objective is to find solid knowledge that can serve as a basis for the development of a sounding automatic identification system of the Anastrepha fraterculus group, which is of high economic importance in Brazil. Wing and aculeus images datasets from three specimens have been used in this work. The experiments using a classifier multimodal fusion approach shows promising effectiveness results for identification of these fruit flies, with more than 98% classification accuracy, a remarkable result for this difficult problem.

Sistema de Cromossomos Sexuais Múltiplos X1 X1 X2 X2 /X1 X2 Y na Mosca-das-Frutas Anastrepha sororcula (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Simple sex chromosome systems are disseminated among the Tephritidae of the Anastrepha genus. Anastrepha species are tremendously important given the impact they cause in cultivated fruit plants, mostly in the northeast of Brazil. Cytogenetic analyses initiated in A. sorocula through the examination of the karyotypic structure and C-band exposed the presence of a multiple sex chromosome system X 1 X 1 X 2 X 2 /X 1 X 2 Y in this species. Whereas the female homomorphic karyotype comprises 2n=12, the male karyotype consists of 2n=11, highlighting one large unpaired Y chromosome. The level of karyotypic divergence between the A. sorocula in the northeast - with the presence of a multiple sex chromosome system - and the southeast of Brazil, suggests the existence of reproductive impairments between specimens from the two areas and a possible birth of a new species. Keywords: Alosomes; agriculture pest; insect cytogenetics; heterochromatin.

Effect of Constant Temperatures on the Biology, Life Table, and Thermal Requirements ofAganaspis pelleranoi(Hymenoptera: Figitidae), a Parasitoid ofAnastrepha fraterculus(Diptera: Tephritidae)

Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes, 1924) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) is a koinobiont endoparasitoid of larvae of species of the genus Anastrepha and of Ceratitis capitata. It is a candidate for use as a biological control agent, as under field conditions, it may reach a parasitism rate of 62%. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different constant temperatures on biological parameters of A. pelleranoi when parasitizing the larva of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Tephritidae), as well as to determine its thermal requirements. The study was conducted in environmental chambers at 18, 20, 22, 25, 28, and 30 ± 1°C; 70 ± 10% relative humidity; and a 12-h photophase. Females maintained at 18 and 20°C produced more progeny than females at other temperatures tested. The longevity of males and females was inversely proportional to temperature, ranging from 49.1 to 3.73 d for females and from 32.1 to 3.8 d for males at temperatures of 18-30°C, respectively. The duration of the biological cycle (egg-to-adult) was influenced by temperature, and ranged from 69.1 d at 18°C to 30 d at 25°C. No preimaginal development of A. pelleranoi occurred at 28 and 30°C. The relationship between temperature and the demographic parameters of A. pelleranoi showed a linear effect over the temperature range of 18-25°C. The lower temperature threshold and thermal constant were 11.69°C and 391.70 degree days, respectively.

Semiochemicals of fruit flies of the genusAnastrepha.

Volatile compounds involved in the chemical communication of fruit flies have been studied for some years; however, their complete elucidation has not yet been reported. Tephritids, which belong to the Anastrepha genus, exhibit inter- and intraspecific changes regarding the chemical composition of their sex pheromones, as well as an evident relationship with the volatiles produced by their hosts. This paper reports advances in the elucidation of the chemical communication of Anastrepha species that involve sex pheromones, cuticular hydrocarbons, and the interaction between the fruit host volatiles and compounds released by the male flies.

Dez Anos de Pesquisas sobre Moscas-das-Frutas (Diptera: Tephritidae) no Estado do Amapá: Avanços Obtidos e Desafios Futuros

As moscas-das-frutas (Diptera: Tephritidae) estão entre as principais pragas da agricultura mundial, sendo motivo de preocupação especialmente para países tropicais em desenvolvimento, os quais têm na fruticultura um importante componente de sua balança comercial. Esta revisão tem por objetivo compilar informações geradas nos últimos 10 anos sobre moscas-das-frutasno estado do Amapá, com ênfase em distribuição, hospedeiros e parasitoides. Além disso, visa indicar as prioridades de pesquisa para os próximos anos.No estado do Amapá, os estudos com moscas-das-frutas e seus inimigos naturais apresentaram, nos últimos anos, significativo crescimento.

Species of Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae) captured in a guava orchard (Psidium guajava L., Myrtaceae) in Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil.

The guava fruit (Psidium guajava) is among the most strongly affected by fruit flies in Brazil. In the Brazilian Amazon, 11 species of Anastrepha have been reported in guava orchards to date. This work aimed to identify the species of Anastrepha present in a guava orchard in the municipality of Boa Vista, determine the species infesting the fruits, and identify any parasitoids present. Two McPhail traps with food bait were installed and weekly collections were made between January and December 2008. Fruits were also collected systematically during this period, with a view to determining the association between host plant and tephritid species. Nine species of Anastrepha were identified, in addition to one specimen belonging to a probable new species. Anastrepha striata Schiner, Anastrepha sororcula Zucchi, Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), and Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) were the dominant species in the orchard, accounting for 84.8% of all captured individuals. All females collected directly from fruits were A. striata. Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) was the only parasitoid species obtained. In this work, Anastrepha ethalea (Walker) is reported for the first time in the state of Roraima.

The Identity of Specimens of the Anastrepha fraterculus Complex (Diptera, Tephritidae) with Atypical Aculeus Tip.

Several specimens collected in Paraguay along with Anastrepha fraterculus (sensu lato) have an aculeus tip similar to species from the fraterculus complex, but the teeth of the aculeus of these specimens are poorly defined. As Anastrepha species identification is based mostly on subtle differences in the aculeus tip, we studied these specimens with atypical aculeus tips (with poorly defined teeth) that slightly differs from the aculeus tip of species of the fraterculus complex (with well-developed blunt teeth), to determine if this is due to intraspecific variation or if it can characterize a full species. The Paraguayan specimens were separated in six groups under stereomicroscope according to variation in their aculeus tip. Specimens within each group were studied by means of morphometrics (traditional and geometric) and gene sequence analysis (COI and ITS1). Morphometric analyses were significant, but no clear groups were formed by the discriminant analyses of the aculeus and wing, and the COI and ITS1 sequence analysis clustered specimens with all six aculeus variations. Therefore, the subtle morphological differences observed in the aculeus tip of Paraguayan specimens are intraspecific variations and the Paraguayan specimens were more genetically closely related to Anastrepha sp. 3 from the fraterculus complex.

ANASTREPHA FRUIT FLIES (DIPTERA, TEPHRITIDAE) FROM TWO MUNICIPALITIES OF THE STATE OF RORAIMA, BRAZIL, WITH THREE NEW RECORDS

We collected fruit flies in McPhail traps in two municipalities of the state of Roraima, Brazil. In Amajari we collected five Anastrepha species (including a probable new species) and in Boa Vista we collected 10 species. This is the first report of Anastrepha fractura Stone, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) and Anastrepha longicauda Lima in the state of Roraima.

Moscas-das-frutas (Diptera, Tephritidae) em municípios com sistema de mitigação de risco para Anastrepha Grandis Macquart

O objetivo do estudo foi verificar a presença de Anastrepha grandis e identificar demais espécies de moscas-das-frutas coletadas em armadilhas modelo MacPhail instaladas em áreas de cucurbitáceas sob Sistema de Mitigação de Risco (SMR) para A. grandis na região Vale do São Patrício, GO, de novembro de 2004 a outubro de 2009. Um total de 812 espécimes de Anastrepha foram capturadas, sendo 639 machos (78,7%) e 173 fêmeas (21,3%). Destas foram identificadas 14 espécies de Anastrepha, ocorrentes em todas as estações do ano. A. dissimilis Stone, A. quiinae Lima e A. pickeli Lima foram registradas pela primeira vez em Goiás e primeiro registro de A grandis, com baixa prevalência, nos municípios de Jaraguá e Uruana, constituintes da área de SMR, indicando ótimas condições para manutenção de área de baixa prevalência. A. manihoti Lima (34,10%) foi a espécie mais frequente na região, seguidade A. obliqua (Macquart) (19,65%) e A. pickeli (13,87%).

Diversity of fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) species in French Guiana: their main host plants and associated parasitoids during the period 1994–2003 and prospects for management

Introduction. This study was carried out in French Guiana, over ten years (1994–2003) by three institutions (SPV, FDGPC and CIRAD); it updates the current state of knowledge of Tephritidae (both Dacini and Toxotrypanini tribes) species present in this country. Materials and methods. The work was mainly conducted in inhabited areas (from the Brazilian border to the Surinamese border) where cultivated fruit crops are located. Specimens were obtained by adult trapping and fruit sampling in nearby orchards and at the edge of the rainforest. Trapping was done consistently for 10 years, while fruit sampling was a discontinuous activity. We present only the results for fruit sampling from three consecutive years (2001–2003) in which a total of 880 kg from 45 fruit species in 22 plant families were collected. Results. Twenty-nine plant species from fourteen plant families were found to be hosts of twenty-one Anastrepha species and one Bactrocera species, Bactrocera carambolae Drew and Hancock. During this period, no specimen of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) was collected in traps or fruit samples. We registered the main fruit trees which were hosts for B. carambolae and Anastrepha spp. Five hymenopterous parasitoid species were identified. Among them, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) is an exotic species and was introduced into French Guiana in collaboration with Brazilian authorities (EMBRAPA) in 2000 and 2001 within the framework of a classical biological control program. Conclusion. Our data provide baseline information about the tephritid species of economic importance present in French Guiana and assist in developing potential future control programs of both the B. carambolae and Anastrepha species in the Amazon Basin. These preliminary results are discussed in the light of their implication for rainforest conservation efforts and also evolutionary relationships between fruit flies and their hosts. (Resume d'auteur)