Tephritid fruit flies and parasitoids associated with plants in the diverse Solanaceae family in northwestern Argentina

Abstract

Solanaceae is a large plant family whose center of diversity is in South America, it includes important crop plants and various weeds. Several species of Tephritid fruit flies have been reported in association with Solanaceous plants, particularly those in the genus Rhagoletis. However, many of these reports are on commercial crops such as tomato, and there is still little knowledge on use of wild native plants. Here, we report results of a 3-year survey of Solanaceous fruit in North-Western Argentina. Fruit of 22 species of Solanaceae were collected over 3 years in the Yungas, Dry Chaco, and Monte biomes. Fourteen of these plants were infested with dipteran, coleopteran, and lepidopteran larvae. Lycium sp. represents a new host plant record for Haywardina cuculi, Solanum aligerum is a new host plant record for Anastrepha fraterculus, Drosophila suzukii, and Rhagoletis blanchardi. Solanum argenteum, Solanum confusum, Solanum delitescens, Solanum pseudocapsicum, Solanum stukertii, and Solanum tenuispinum are new host plant records for Rhagoletis blanchardi. Solanum trichoneuron is a new host plant record for Anastrepha fraterculus. Two unidentified species of Lonchaeidae were found infesting nine species of Solanaceae. Hymenopteran parasitoids in the genus Utetes, Doryctobracon, and Ganaspis were found in association with Solanaceae infesting tephritids. We also report notes on the life cycle and behavior of the tephritids recovered during this sampling effort.