Dacus axanus

Description

Typical of Dacus larvae with the following specific characteristics for the third instar:

Body. Medium-sized; body length 9-10.5 mm. 

Head.  Cephalic lobes moderately or well-developed. Stomal organ: Unbranched peg sensilla present, other peg-sensilla-like structures absent. Stomal region: Medial secondary lobes closest to mouth opening resembling small oral ridges. Number of oral ridges 17-21 (very long), 

Cephalopharyngeal skeleton. Mandibles: subapical teeth well-developed. 

Anterior spiracles. Number of anterior spiracular tubules 19-21.

Spinules and creeping welts. Dorsal spinules on T1-T3.

Caudal segment (A8) and anal lobes. Anal lobes simple; plainly visible but not protuberant.

Posterior spiracles. Slits ~2.5x longer than wide. Dorsal spiracular processes short. Number of dorsal spiracular processes 12-16; number of ventral processes 12-16; number of lateral processes 5-9.

Host plants

Family	Genus
Cucurbitaceae	Luffa, Trichosanthes

Part of plant attacked: fruit.

Biogeographic region and distribution

Australasian, Oriental

Indonesia (Nusa Tenggara and Maluku) to Bismarck Arch. and ne. & nw. Australia.
 

Adult taxonomy

Dacus (Callantra) axanus
Callantra axana Hering 1938: 410.—Indonesia. Maluku: Key Is. [Kai Is.]. HT ♂ BMNH.
Callantra auricoma May 1956: 153.—Australia. Queensland: Ayr. HT ♂ QMBA.
Callantra smieroides: Drew 1972: 189.—misid. See Drew 1989: 241.

References

Carroll, L. E., A. L. Norrbom, M. J. Dallwitz, and F. C. Thompson. 2004 onwards. Pest fruit flies of the world – larvae. Version: 8th December 2006. http://delta-intkey.com.

White, I. M., and M. M. Elson-Harris. 1992. Fruit flies of economic significance: their identification and bionomics. CAB International; Wallingford, UK. 601 p.