A new U.S. record for a secondary fruit infester, Neosilba batesi (Curran) (Diptera: Lonchaeidae)

Authors

Kurt Ahlmark, Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville, FL
Gary J. Steck, Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville, FL

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

June 1997

Comments

Insecta Mundi, published by the Center for Systematic Entomology, is available online at http://centerforsystematicentomology.org/. Copyright © by Ahlmark and Steck.

Abstract

A lonchaeid fly, Neosilba batesi, first described by Curran in 1932 from Guatemala, is here reported in Florida as of September 1994, a new U.S. record. Five larvae found infesting avocado fruit were reared to adults. The authors first identified the adults and our initial determination was confirmed by Dr. Al Norrbom of the Systematic Entomology Laboratory, USDA, Washington, D.C. A number of other specimens were subsequently collected and are recorded here as well. The species is probably a secondary invader of fruit, following initial attack by Anastrepha fruit flies, as observed in several other lonchaeid species (Curran, 1932; McAlpine and Steyskal, 1982; Souza et al., 1983).