Frugivorous flies and their parasitoids associated with native fruits in an urban area

Abstract

This study aimed to know the species of frugivorous flies (Tephritidae and Lonchaeidae) and their parasitoids associated with fruits in home orchards. It was conducted in the Gurgueia Valley, municipality of Bom Jesus, Piauí, Brazil. Fruit collection was carried out from April to December 2016. A total of 959 fruits (12 kg) belonging to seven fruit species were sampled, such as acerola (Malpighia glabra), carambola (Averrhoa carambola), lime (Citrus aurantifolia), balsam pear (Momordica charantia), cherry of the Rio Grande (Eugenia involucrata), umbu-cajá (Spondias bahiensis), and purple mombin (Spondias purpurea). Only three among these species (acerola, umbu-cajá, and purple mombin) were host, with 2,770 frugivorous flies. Umbu-cajá hosted 316 specimens of Anastrepha obliqua, from which puparia have emerged 84 specimens of Opius bellus and four of Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae. Purple mombin hosted Ceratitis capitata (2,384 specimens), Neosilba pendula (69 specimens), and Anastrepha sp. (one male). Eleven specimens of Tetrastichus giffardianus emerged from the puparia of C. capitata. Acerola hosted only one female of C. capitata and six specimens of N. pendula. Ceratitis capitata and N. pendula were recorded for the first-time infesting fruits of purple mombin in Piauí. Tetrastichus giffardianus parasitizing C. capitata in purple mombin was first recorded in the state of Piauí. Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae is a new record in A. obliqua in umbu-cajá in Brazil.

Tritrophic relations and spatial distribution of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the Cerrado and Caatinga regions in Piauí, Brazil

“…This shows the high adaptive capacity of this species and is in constant population increase due to the invasion of new geographic areas, infesting different hosts (Zucchi and Moraes 2012;Sciarretta et al, 2018). In Piauí, there is a record of this species in A. carambola fruits (Feitosa et al, 2007), S. mombin (Araújo et al, 2014) and S. purpurea (Coelho et al, 2020). Ceratitis capitata was recorded for the first time in I. laurina pods in the state of Piauí.…”

“…Previous studies reported 128 species of Anastrepha in Brazil, of which 23 species are recorded from the state of Piauí (Zucchi and Moraes, 2022); for the city of Bom Jesus, however, there are currently one known species of Anastrepha (An. obliqua) in addition to C. capitata (Coelho et al, 2020).…”

“…1). Inventory regarding fruit fly species in this region are still scarce (Araújo et al, 2014;Coelho et al, 2018;Vieira et al, 2019;Coelho et al, 2020).…”

“…In Piauí, the most recent reports include 23 described species of Anastrepha (Zucchi and Moraes, 2022); for the city of Bom Jesus, however, there is currently one known species of Anastrepha in addition to C. capitata (Coelho et al, 2020). There is only one article published, which was carried out in the urban area of Bom Jesus on the occurrence of fruit fly parasitoid species (Coelho et al, 2020).…”

“…In Piauí, the most recent reports include 23 described species of Anastrepha (Zucchi and Moraes, 2022); for the city of Bom Jesus, however, there is currently one known species of Anastrepha in addition to C. capitata (Coelho et al, 2020). There is only one article published, which was carried out in the urban area of Bom Jesus on the occurrence of fruit fly parasitoid species (Coelho et al, 2020). The identification of native parasitoids requires an intensive analysis of native and exotic fruits in order to verify the association between fly and parasitoid species and their host plants (Silva et al, 2010;.…”