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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #374274
Research Project: Systematics of Flies of Importance in Agroecosystems and the Environment

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Two new species of Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Ecuador

Author
item TROYA, HENRY - Agrocalidad
item Norrbom, Allen
item BOLANOS, PINEDA, JULIA - Agrocalidad

Submitted to: Zootaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/3/2020
Publication Date: 7/28/2020
Citation: Troya, H., Norrbom, A.L., Bolanos, Pineda, J.E. 2020. Two new species of Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Ecuador. Zootaxa. 4820(2):366-372.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4820.2.9

Interpretive Summary: The family of true fruit flies includes numerous major agricultural pests throughout the world. The majority of species that are pests in the American tropics and subtropics, and that threaten fruit industries in the southern United States, belong to a large group that contains more than 300 species. Knowledge of which species occur in which countries and which plants each attacks is critical to effectively regulate trade with these countries and prevent the introduction of pest species into the USA. In this paper, two previously unknown species from Ecuador are described, and diagnostic data and illustrations are provided to distinguish them from related species. This information and the ability to recognize the pests and most similar species is essential to regulatory agencies such as APHIS-PPQ to prevent the spread of pest species.

Technical Abstract: Despite the fact that many species are economically important agricultural pests, the fruit fly fauna of Ecuador is still relatively poorly known. To better understand this fauna and the distribution and host plants of the pest species, the Proyecto Nacional de Manejo de las Moscas de la Fruta of AGROCALIDAD has conducted trapping surveys in many parts of the country. Two new species of Anastrepha from Ecuador that were collected by this project are described and illustrated: A. quadripuncta and A. tinctobasis.