Synonymization of key pest species within theBactrocera dorsalisspecies complex (Diptera:Tephritidae): taxonomic changes based on a review of 20 years of integrative morphological, molecular, cytogenetic, behavioural and chemoecological data

Abstract

Bactrocera papayae Drew & Hancock, Bactrocera philippinensis Drew & Hancock, Bactrocera carambolae Drew & Hancock, and Bactrocera invadens Drew, Tsuruta & White are four horticultural pest tephritid fruit fly species that are highly similar, morphologically and genetically, to the destructive pest, the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae). This similarity has rendered the discovery of reliable diagnostic characters problematic, which, in view of the economic importance of these taxa and the international trade implications, has resulted in ongoing difficulties for many areas of plant protection and food security. Consequently, a major international collaborative and integrated multidisciplinary research effort was initiated in 2009 to build upon existing literature with the specific aim of resolving biological species limits among B. papayae, B. philippinensis, B. carambolae, B. invadens and B. dorsalis to overcome constraints to pest management and international trade. Bactrocera philippinensis has recently been synonymized with B. papayae as a result of this initiative and this review corroborates that finding; however, the other names remain in use. While consistent characters have been found to reliably distinguish B. carambolae from B. dorsalis, B. invadens and B. papayae, no such characters have been found to differentiate the latter three putative species. We conclude that B. carambolae is a valid species and that the remaining taxa, B. dorsalis, B. invadens and B. papayae, represent the same species. Thus, we consider B. dorsalis (Hendel) as the senior synonym of B. papayae Drew and Hancock syn.n. and B. invadens Drew, Tsuruta & White syn.n. A redescription of B. dorsalis is provided. Given the agricultural importance of B. dorsalis, this taxonomic decision will have significant global plant biosecurity implications, affecting pest management, quarantine, international trade, postharvest treatment and basic research. Throughout the paper, we emphasize the value of independent and multidisciplinary tools in delimiting species, particularly in complicated cases involving morphologically cryptic taxa. Bactrocera (Bactrocera) dorsalis (Hendel)

DNA barcodes for bio-surveillance: regulated and economically important arthropod plant pests

“…This discrepancy between taxonomic assignments and barcode results (Hendrichs et al 2015) provoked a reevaluation of their taxonomy, work which suggested that at least some of the taxa involved are conspecific (Khamis et al 2012;Schutze et al 2012). In fact, a subsequent taxonomic revision synonymized B. invadens and B. papaya with B. dorsalis (Schutze et al 2015). There are many other cases where pest species on different plants have been assigned to separate species when they likely represent just one taxon.…”

Site-specific temporal and spatial validation of a generic plant pest forecast system with observations of Bactrocera dorsalis (oriental fruit fly)

“…material 1). B. invadens has recently be shown to be the same species as B. dorsalis (Schutze et al 2014) so these observations were also included.…”

“…Like other fruit flies, B. dorsalis requires favorable temperature and soil moisture conditions (Yang et al 1994) and is one of the key pest groups of southeast Asia and Hawaii, causing damage to fruits and vegetables by larval feeding (Clarke et al 2005). B. dorsalis is considered to be a species complex and B. invadens have recently been determined to be the same species (Schutze et al 2014). B. dorsalis can be a major threat to agricultural crops because of extreme polyphagous behavior and is known to be highly invasive (Clarke et al 2005).…”

Étude comparative du développement de <i>Bactrocera dorsalis</i> (Hendel) (Diptera : Tephritidae) sur <i>Irvingia gabonensis</i> et <i>Musa</i> sp.

“…Au nombre de ces espèces de mouches, se trouve Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), (Diptera : Tephritidae), longtemps connue sous le nom de B. invadens Drew, Tsuruta & White qui représente l'espèce la plus nuisible à la production fruitière (Ndiaye et Dabo, 2007). B. dorsalis est responsable de préjudices incalculables à l'horticulture et à la sécurité alimentaire à travers l'Asie, l'Afrique, le Pacifique et certaines parties de l'Amérique du Sud (Schutze et al, 2015). Cette mouche s'est installée au Bénin où elle a été signalée pour la première fois en juin 2004.…”