Mexican fruit fly

Scientific name

Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Similar species

Other species in the genus Anastrepha including:

Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa

• Mexican fruit fly, A. ludens has a much longer ovipositorovipositor:
  a tubular structure extending from the abdomen of female insects that is used to lay eggs
  (only 1.45 – 1.6 mm long in A. suspensa).
• Wing band color is pale yellow in A. ludens and dark brown in A. suspensa.

Distribution

United States: Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas. Currently listed as eradicated from these states.

Worldwide: Central America and Mexico.

Native to Mexico and Central America.

Diagnostic characteristics

Adults

• Larger than a housefly, 7 - 10 mm (0.28 - 0.39 in.) in length.
• Yellow to brown body and wing coloration.
• Green eyes.
• Females with relatively long, tubular ovipositorovipositor:
  a tubular structure extending from the abdomen of female insects that is used to lay eggs
  sheaths relative to body size. Ovipositorovipositor:
  a tubular structure extending from the abdomen of female insects that is used to lay eggs
  sheath is 3.35 - 4.7 mm (0.13 - 0.19 in.) in length.
• Forewing forewing:
  the anterior (closest to the head) pair of wings in insects
  is 6.6 - 9.0 mm (0.26 - 0.35 in.) in length.

Pupae

• Tan to dark brownish-yellow.
• Pupate in the soil.

Larvae

• Three larval instars.
• White or taking on the color of the food it ingests.
• Cylindrical, elongated with mouth hooks.
• Final instarinstar:
  immature stages (larva or nymph) of insects in between molts
  is 9 - 12 mm (0.35 - 0.47 in.) in length.

Eggs

• Cylindrical.
• Tapered at one end.

Hosts

Citrus hosts

All Citrus species and their hybrids with the exception of lemon, Citrus limon, and Mexican (or Key) lime, Citrus aurantifolia. Strong preference for grapefruit, Citrus paradisi.

Non-citrus hosts

A partial list includes:

• Annona spp.
• apple, Malus domesticus
• avocado, Persea americana
• chapote, Diospyros texana
• guava, Psidium guajava
• mamey, Pouteria sapota
• mango, Mangifera indica
• peach, Prunus spp.
• pear, Pyrus spp.
• pomegranate, Punica granatum
• quince,Cydonia oblonga
• rose-apple, Syzygium aqueum
• strawberry guava, Psidium littorale
• white sapote, Casimiroa edulis

Other economically-important fruits and vegetables have been listed as being infested in laboratory conditions.

Host damage

Fruits

Larvae burrow into the pulppulp:
the soft, moist, internal part of the citrus fruit, beneath the rind and albedo layers
of developing fruit and leave through a large exit hole.

Biology

Adult females deposit groups of eggs on to the fruit surface as they begin to develop color. Eggs hatch in 6 - 12 days. Larvae burrow into interior of the fruit to feed on the pulppulp:
the soft, moist, internal part of the citrus fruit, beneath the rind and albedo layers
for 3 - 4 weeks. Larvae exit the fruit to pupate in the soil. Adults may live 11 - 16 months and lay over 1500 eggs. Breeding is continuous with 4 - 6 generations per year.

References

Weems, Jr., H.V., J.B. Heppner, and G.J. Steck. 2012. Featured creatures fact sheet: Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae). EENY-201. University of Florida. (http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/fruit/tropical/mexican_fruit_fly.htm).

(NAPPO) North American Plant Protection Organization. 2012. Anastrepha ludens (Mexican fruit fly) eradicated in the United States. Phytosanitary Alert System. (http://www.pestalert.org/oprDetail.cfm?oprID=511).

Arizona Department of Agriculture. 2012. Mexican Fruit Fly (MFF): Anastrepha ludens (Loew) Order - Diptera: Family - Tephritidae. (http://www.azda.gov/PSD/MexicanFruitFly.htm).

(CARI) Caribbean Pest Information Network. 2012. Anastrepha ludens. (http://www.caripestnetwork.org/vtt/docs/datasheets/diptera/anastrepha_ludens.pdf).

Authors

Weeks, J.A., A.C. Hodges, and N.C. Leppla