Trirhithrum nigerrimum

Description

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

Body. Larvae small. Body length 6 mm.

Head. Stomal region: secondary lobes present (4 preoral lobes). Number of oral ridges 4–5. 

Cephalopharyngeal skeleton. Mandibles: base stout, nearly perpendicular to a line from ventral part of base to apex of mandible.

Anterior spiracles. Number of anterior spiracular tubules ~7.

Spinules and creeping welts. Dorsal spinules with an unusual distribution.

Posterior spiracles. Slits ~3x longer than wide.

Host plants

Famlly	Genus
Rubiaceae	Coffea

Part of plant attacked: fruit.

Biogeographic region and distribution

Afrotropical

Ghana and Niger east to Uganda, south to South Africa, Comoros Is.
 

Adult taxonomy

Trirhithrum nigerrimum (Bezzi)
Ceratitis nigra var. nigerrima Bezzi 1913: 26.—Nigeria. Lagos. ST ♂♀ IZUSN?
Ceratitis patagiata Enderlein 1920: 350.—Tanzania. Lake Nyassa, Langenburg. HT ♂ ZMHU.
 

References

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