Dacus ciliatus

Description

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

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

Head.  Stomal region: Number of oral ridges 12-13. 

Anterior spiracles. Number of anterior spiracular tubules 14-16.

Spinules and creeping welts. Dorsal spinules on T1-A1.

Posterior spiracles. Slits 3.5-4x longer than wide. Number of dorsal spiracular processes 14-19; number of ventral processes 11-14; number of lateral processes 3-9.

Host plants

Family	Genus
Cucurbitaceae	Citrullus, Cucumis, Cucurbita, Lagenaria, Luffa, Momordica, Sechium, Trichosanthes

Biogeographic region and distribution

Afrotropical, Oriental, Palearctic

Senegal E to Somalia, S to South Africa, Madagascar;
introduced Mauritius, Reunion, Israel & Egypt E to Burma.

Adult taxonomy

Dacus (Didacus) ciliatus Loew

Dacus ciliatus Loew 1862: 7.—Guinea; & South Africa. Cape: Cap. Bon. Sp. [Cape of Good Hope]. ST♂ ♀ NRS,UZMC. Type data (Munro 1932: 152).

Dacus sigmoides Coquillett 1901: 29.—Mauritius. HT ♀ USNM.

Dacus brevistylus Bezzi 1908: 149.—Eritrea. Cheren;&vic. Adi Ugri. ST ♂ ♀ MZLS. Possibly also ST in MCSNM.

Dacus apoxanthus var. decolor Bezzi 1924: 467.—South Africa. Cape: Grahamstown. ST ♀ SANC.

Dacus insistens Curran 1927: 85.—Zaire. Bas-Zaire: Boma (30°N 13°E). HT ♀ AMNH.

Dacus cocciniae Premlata & Singh 1988: 401.—India. Punjab: Chandigarh. HT ♂ PUCP. N. Syn.

Tridacus mallyi Munro 1925: 42.—Nomen nudum. Published without diagnosis or indication. Attributed to Bezzi.

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.