common name: a fruit fly
scientific name: Anastrepha edentata Stone (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae)
Anastrepha edentata Stone has been collected in the Florida keys in every month of the year, but its host plants still are unknown. It is one of six species of fruit flies of the genus Anastrepha which occur in Florida or which have been established in Florida at some time. According to Division of Plant Industry records, it has not been found in Florida since 1936. There is a possibility that this species has not survived in Florida. It is not considered to be of economic importance anywhere within its range.
Known in Florida and Puerto Rico. In Florida this species has been recorded from Key
Largo Key to Key West. There is a record for Redlands, Dade County, Florida. The type
locality is Key Largo, Florida.
distribution
This is a small, yellow-brown fly with patterned wings; the female with a long, slender ovipositor sheath and very slender ovipositor, readily distinguishing it from other species recorded from Florida. The wing pattern is partly yellowish, partly brownish infuscated, and is somewhat variable. In some specimens the inverted V band is connected at its apex with the S band on the anterior portion of the wing, while in others the inverted V band is separated from the S band; usually it is complete and joined to the S band. The costal and 3 bands are widely
separated on vein R4+5 but on vein R2+3 they vary from widely separated to connected here, or all of R1 infuscated between the two bands. The
head is yellow with frontal bristles and ocellar triangle black; antennae yellow. The humerus has a very narrow median strip widening abruptly on mesoscutum posteriorly, lateral stripes from transverse suture to scutellum, and scutellum pale yellow; metanotum entirely yellow brown. Macrochaetae black; pile pale yellow brown. The legs are yellow.
adult female
ovipositor tip
The life history of Anastrepha edentata has not been ascertained.
Unknown.
-
State Plant Board of Florida Eleventh Biennial Report for the period July 1, 1934-June 30,
1936. Jan. 1937. p. 20-21. Anastrepha sp. "F," Brown.
- Stone A. 1942. The fruit flies of the genus Anastrepha. U.S. Department of Agriculture Miscellaneous Publication No. 439, Washington, D.C. 112 p.
Author: H.V. Weems, Jr., Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant
Industry.
Originally published as DPI Entomology Circular 76.
Drawings: Division of Plant Industry
Project Coordinator: Thomas R. Fasulo, University of Florida
Publication Number: EENY-264
Publication Date: January 2002. Latest revision: October 2007.
Copyright 2002 University of Florida
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Department of Entomology and Nematology
Division of Plant Industry
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