The Distributions of the Caribbean Fruit Fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Tephritidae) and Its Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) within the Canopies of Host Trees

Abstract

In the area of LaBelle, Florida (Hendry County), the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), is commonly attacked by three braconid parasitoids, Doryctobracon areolatus (Szepligeti), Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead), and Utetes anastrephae (Viereck). Fruits from fifteen individual trees of four species, Surinam Cherry (Eugenia uniflora L.), Cattley guava (Psidium cattleianum Sabine), guava (P. guajava L.), and loquat (Eriobotrya japonica [Thunb.]), were systematically sampled in order to determine the distribution of A. suspensa and its parasitoids within the tree's canopies. Fruits infested by A. suspensa were lighter than infested ones in P. guajava. This may be due to the presence of the larvae. There was no evidence that A. suspensa preferred to oviposit in fruits at particular heights above ground or distances from canopy edges. Fruits containing larvae parasitized by U. anastrephae were significantly lighter than those containing larvae parasitized by either D. areolatus or D. longicaudata, and it was not present in P. guajava, the species with the heaviest fruits. There were no differences, either overall or within host tree species, among the heights above ground or distances from canopy edges of fruits containing larvae parasitized by any of the three braconids. Niche similarity in D. areolatus and D. longicaudata may be due to the absence of a shared evolutionary history. Both are recent introductions to Florida, but while D. areolatus is a neotropical species, D. longicaudata is from the Indo-Philippine region. Thus, there has been little opportunity for divergence. Knowledge of the distributions within tree canopies of the pest-fly, and of its natural enemies, may lead to improvements in its biological control.