Tephritidae

Taxobox
name = Tephritidae

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image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Euaresta aequalis"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
subphylum = Hexapoda
classis = Insecta
subclassis = Pterygota
infraclassis = Neoptera
superordo = Endopterygota|
ordo = Diptera
subordo = Brachycera
infraordo = Muscomorpha
zoosectio = Schizophora
zoosubsectio = Acalyptratae
superfamilia = Tephritoidea
familia = Tephritidae
diversity_link = Tephritidae
diversity = 500 genera, about 5,000 species
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Bactrocera"
"Ceratitis"
"Paracantha"
"Rhagoletis"
"Tephritis"
"Urophora"
"Euaresta"
"hundreds more"

Tephritidae is one of two fly families referred to as "fruit flies." Tephritidae does not include the biological model organisms of the genus "Drosophila", which is often called the "common fruit fly". "Drosophila" is, instead, the type genus of the second "fruit fly" family, Drosophilidae. There are nearly 5,000 described species of tephritid fruit fly, categorized in almost 500 genera. Description, recategorization, and genetic analysis are constantly changing the taxonomy of the fruit fly family.

Tephritid fruit flies are of major importance in agriculture. Some have negative effects, some positive. Various species of fruit fly cause damage to fruit and other plant crops. The genus "Bactrocera" is of worldwide notoriety for its destructive impact on agriculture. The olive fruit fly ("B. oleae"), for example, feeds on only one plant: the wild or commercially cultivated olive. It has the capacity to ruin 100% of an olive crop by damaging the fruit. On the other hand, some fruit flies are used as agents of biological control, thereby reducing the populations of pest species. Several species of the fruit fly genus "Urophora" have been shown to be effective agents against rangeland-destroying noxious weeds such as starthistles and knapweeds.

Most fruit flies lay their eggs in plant tissues, where the larvae find their first food upon emerging. The adults usually have a very short lifespan. Some live for less than a week.

Fruit flies use an open circulatory system as their cardiovascular system.

Their behavioral ecology is of great interest to biologists. Some fruit flies have extensive mating rituals or territorial displays. Many are brightly colored and visually showy. Some fruit flies show Batesian mimicry, bearing the colors and markings of dangerous insects such as wasps because it helps the fruit flies to avoid predators; the flies, of course, lack stingers.

ystematics

The Tephritidae are grouped into several subfamilies:The Diptera Site: [http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/Diptera/tephriti/TephPhyl.htm Tephritidae Phylogeny] ]

* Blepharoneurinae (5 genera, 34 species)
* Dacinae (41 genera, 1066 species)
* Phytalmiinae (957 genera, 331 species)
* Tachiniscinae genera, 1859 species)
* Tephritinae (211 genera, 1859 species)
* Trypetinae (118 genera, 1012 species)

Three genera with 32 species are not included in any subfamily (incertae sedis).

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.faculty.ucr.edu/~legneref/biotact/bc-44.htm Biological Control of Tephritidae]
* [http://www.diptera.info/photogallery.php?album_id=52&rowstart=30 Diptera.info images]
* [http://talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/index.php?s=1897 Goldenrod Gall Flies (Eurosta spp.) Species Profile]
* [http://www.mnstate.edu/wisenden/InvertZoo/Goldenrod%20Gall%20Fly.doc Goldenrod Gall Fly]
* [http://bugguide.net/node/view/7017/bgpage Images at BugGuide]
* [http://www-naweb.iaea.org/nafa/ipc/index.html Insect Pest Control Sub program (IPC)]
* [http://www.cirrusimage.com/Fly_Fruit_Euaresta.htm Fruit Fly "Euaresta aequalis"] Large format diagnostic photos including courtship ritual
* [http://delta-intkey.com/ffa/www/_wintro.htm Pest Fruit Flies of the World]
* [http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/diptera/tephriti/tephriti.htm Tephritidae Information from the Diptera Site]
* [http://www.tephritid.org Tephritid Workers Database (TWD)]
* [http://www.tephritid.org/twd.team/srv/en/home Tephritid Workers of Europe Africa and the Middle East (TEAM)]

On the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/a_edentata.htm "Anastrepha edentata", a fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/south_american_fruit_fly.htm "Anastrepha fraterculus ", South American fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/anastrepha_grandis.htm "Anastrepha grandis", South American cucurbit fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/schoepfia_fruit_fly.htm "Anastrepha interrupta", Schoepfia fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/mexican_fruit_fly.htm "Anastrepha ludens", Mexican fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/a_nigrifascia.htm "Anastrepha nigrifascia", a fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/west_indian_fruit_fly.htm "Anastrepha obliqua", West Indian fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/anastrepha_ocresia.htm "Anastrepha ocresia", a fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/sapote_fruit_fly.htm "Anastrepha serpentina", sapote fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/a_striata.htm "Anastrepha striata", guava fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/caribbean_fruit_fly.htm "Anastrepha suspensa", Caribbean fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/guava_fruit_fly.htm "Bactrocera correcta ", guava fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/melon_fly.htm "Bactrocera cucurbitae", melon fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/oriental_fruit_fly.htm "Bactrocera dorsalis", oriental fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/olive_fruit_fly.htm "Bactrocera oleae", olive fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/queensland_fruit_fly.htm "Bactrocera tryoni", Queensland fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/japanese_orange_fly.htm "Bactrocera tsuneonis", Japanese orange fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/mediterranean_fruit_fly.htm "Ceratitis capitata", Mediterranean fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/mango_fruit_fly.htm "Ceratitis cosyra", mango fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/natal_fruit_fly.htm "Ceratitis rosa", Natal fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/lesser_pumpkin_fly.htm "Dacus ciliatus", lesser pumpkin fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/cherry_fruit_fly.htm "Rhagoletis cingulata", eastern cherry fruit fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/apple_maggot_fly.htm "Rhagoletis pomonella", apple maggot fly]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/tropical/papaya_fruit_fly.htm "Toxotrypana curvicauda", papaya fruit fly]