| Tephritis neesii | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Tephritidae |
| Subfamily: | Tephritinae |
| Tribe: | Tephritini |
| Genus: | Tephritis |
| Species: | T. neesii |
| Binomial name | |
| Tephritis neesii | |
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| Range of Tephritis neesii in Europe | |
| Synonyms | |
Tephritis neesii is a species of fly found across Europe. [3] It mostly lives on Leucanthemum vulgare . [4]
The adult Tephritis neesii has a blackish-brown body, with a paler powder on the surface, which is less pronounced on the abdomen. The body bears short black hairs, the tips of which appear yellow in reflected light. The legs are rufous, as is the head; the face is white, and the frons is greyish in the centre. [5] Males have dark femurs and the third segment of each antenna is dark brown, whereas females have yellow femurs, and a vaguely brown third segment to the antenna. [5]
There is a single generation per year (univoltine). [6] Eggs of T. neesii are shiny, white, and approximately 0.7 millimetres (0.028 in) long and a little over 0.2 mm (0.008 in) wide at the widest point. [5] The second-instar larva is about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long, and yellowish-white, with rows of pyramidal warts on each segment. The third instar is 3.5 mm (0.138 in) by 1.5 mm (0.059 in). [5] The larvae pupate within a plant's capitulum (flower head), and the animals overwinter as adults. [6]
Tephritis neesii lives on plants in the family Asteraceae, particularly Leucanthemum vulgare . The larvae of Tephritis larvae cut large mines in the receptacles, and cause the flowers in parts of the inflorescences to stop developing. [7] Adults feed on seeds produced by the plant, before they have dispersed. [8] It is the only tephritid to feed on the flower heads of L. vulgare, according to I. M. White. [6]
Several parasitoid wasps attack T. neesii, including Bracon obscurator , Pteromalus leucanthemi , Pteromalus musaeus , Eurytoma robusta and Eurytoma strigifrons . [5]
Tephritis neesii is found in most countries across Europe. Distribution in Europe ranges from mainland Spain (but not Portugal) and Republic of Ireland (but not Northern Ireland) in the west, as far north as Norway, as far east as the Komi Republic in Russia (but not Western Russia), and as south as Sicily. [9] In Great Britain, it is more frequently reported in the south and east, with few records from Scotland and Wales, and none reported for the Isle of Man. [10]
Leucanthemum vulgare, commonly known as the ox-eye daisy, oxeye daisy, dog daisy, marguerite and other common names, is a widespread flowering plant native to Europe and the temperate regions of Asia, and an introduced plant to North America, Australia and New Zealand.
The Tephritidae are Uruphora one of two fly families referred to as fruit flies, the other family being the Drosophilidae. The family Tephritidae does not include the biological model organisms of the genus Drosophila, which is often called the "common fruit fly". Nearly 5,000 described species of tephritid fruit fly are categorized in almost 500 genera of the Tephritidae. Description, recategorization, and genetic analyses are constantly changing the taxonomy of this family. To distinguish them from the Drosophilidae, the Tephritidae are sometimes called peacock flies, in reference to their elaborate and colorful markings. The name comes from the Greek τεφρος, tephros, meaning "ash grey". They are found in all the biogeographic realms.
The Agromyzidae are a family commonly referred to as the leaf-miner flies, for the feeding habits of their larvae, most of which are leaf miners on various plants.
Bactrocera dorsalis, previously known as Dacus dorsalis and commonly referred to as the oriental fruit fly, is a species of tephritid fruit fly that is endemic to Southeast Asia. It is one of the major pest species in the genus Bactrocera with a broad host range of cultivated and wild fruits. Male B. dorsalis respond strongly to methyl eugenol, which is used to monitor and estimate populations, as well as to annihilate males as a form of pest control. They are also important pollinators and visitors of wild orchids, Bulbophyllum cheiri and Bulbophyllum vinaceum in Southeast Asia, which lure the flies using methyl eugenol.
Strauzia longipennis is a large species of tephritid fruit fly known by the common name sunflower maggot. It is a minor pest whose larvae mine stems of sunflowers. Damage from larval feeding on spongy tissue is usually light. The larvae do not damage the flower head or seeds, although those of other fruit fly species do so.
Tephritis formosa is a species of tephritid fly. It is one of many species known commonly as gall fly.
Bactrocera cucurbitae, the melon fly, is a fruit fly of the family Tephritidae. It is a serious agricultural pest, particularly in Hawaii.
Tephritis is a genus of flies. It contains around 170 described species, making it the sixth largest genus in the family Tephritidae. Many more undescribed species are known from specimen collections. Tephritis occur throughout much of the world, but most are Palearctic. They can be found in a wide range of climate types, from hot semidesert to tundra. Most species inhabit the inflorescences of plants from several tribes in the family Asteraceae, and a few species cause galls to form.
Terellia is a genus of tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae.
Trypeta immaculata is a species of tephritid or fruit flies in the genus Trypeta of the family Tephritidae.
Conops quadrifasciatus, the yellow-banded conops, is a species of fly from the genus Conops in the family Conopidae.
Lygus pratensis is a species of plant bug belonging to the family Miridae.
Urophora quadrifasciata is a species of tephritid or fruit flies in the genus Urophora of the family Tephritidae. The host plant for the larvae is usually a knapweed, and because of this, it is used to control Centaurea stoebe.
Tephritis bardanae is a picture-winged fly of the family Tephritidae, which are variously known as fruit-flies or gall flies.
Tephritis arnicae is a species of picture-winged fly of the family Tephritidae, which are variously known as fruit-flies or gall flies.
Ensina sonchi is a species of fly in the family Tephritidae, the gall flies. It is found in the Palearctic. The larvae feed on the flower heads of Asteraceae.
Paracantha gentilis is a species of tephritid or fruit fly in the genus Paracantha of the family Tephritidae. It has a widespread distribution throughout the Western United States, and has also been found as far south as Mexico and Costa Rica. It most closely resembles Paracantha culta, which is widespread in the Southeastern United States, but P. gentilis can be distinguished by having smaller spots on the head.
Physocephala tibialis is a species of thick-headed fly found throughout the eastern United States, often near flowering plants. The adult fly is primarily black with a yellow face and thin white stripes on the abdomen. It is commonly found along the east coast of the United States and is often found near flowering plants.
Tephritis praecox is a species is a species of fly in the family Tephritidae found across Europe.
Anastrepha fraterculus, known as the South American fruit fly, is a fruit fly species from the genus Anastrepha. A. fraterculus is a polyphagous, frugivorous fly that is a significant pest of commercial fruit production in South America.