Biology and taxonomy of Rhagoletotrypeta (Diptera: Tephritidae): A new species from Cuba and new host plant, parasitoid, and distribution records form northwestern Argentina

Abstract

Rhagoletotrypeta argentinensis (Aczél) was recovered from Celtis iguanaea (Jacquin) Sargent, and R. parallela Norrbom and R. pastranai Aczél from Celtis pubescens (Kunth) Sprengel fruit (Ulmaceae) in the provinces of Catamarca, Tucumán, and Salta (northwestern Argentina). All represent new host plant records, and for R. parallela, the first host plant record. Mean pupal weight of flies from C. pubescens (mean fruit weight 1.2 g) was 5.2 ± 2.3 mg and of flies from C. iguanaea (mean fruit weight 1.8 g) was 7.8 ± 1.3. Mean degree of infestation (number of larvae/100 g of fruit) was 29.6 for C. iguanaea and varied between 18.7 and 50.5 for C. pubescens. Most adults emerged after an 8-12-mo diapause period. Sixteen specimens of the larval-prepupal parasitoid Utetes sp., near U. anastrephae (Viereck) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Opiinae) were recovered from all fruit samples (overall parasitization rate was 37.2%). Parasitoids entered diapause that lasted up to 12 mo. We also describe a new species of Rhagoletotrypeta from Cuba belonging to the xanthogastra species group. Rhagoletotrypeta cubensis Norrbom, n. sp., is the only species in this genus known from the West Indies. The distribution records reported here also extend the known ranges for all four species of Rhagoletotrypeta known from Argentina. We discuss our findings in light of their taxonomic and ecological significance and with respect to the possibilities they open for the badly needed study of the zoogeography and behavior of flies in tephritid genera of no apparent economic importance. © 2005 Entomological Society of America.