Lixophaga

Townsend, 1908

Lixophaga is a of tachinid flies in the tribe Blondeliini. in this genus are , primarily attacking lepidopteran including stem borers in the genus Diatraea and other larvae. The genus has been recorded from the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific, with some species studied for potential against agricultural pests. Lixophaga diatraeae has been particularly well-studied as a parasitoid of sugarcane borers.

Lixophaga by (c) Arturo Santos, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Arturo Santos. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Lixophaga: /ˌlɪksoʊˈfɑɡə/

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Distribution

Recorded from the Americas (North, Central, and South America including the Caribbean), Asia (China, Korea, Japan), and the Pacific region (New Caledonia).

Host Associations

Behavior

Lixophaga diatraeae deposits (first-instar larvae) onto larvae. Multiple planidia may enter a single host, resulting in . Competition between developing larvae occurs within the host, with survival depending on host size, , and larval positioning on the host's longitudinal tracheal trunk. Larvae undergo two within the host before emerging to pupate.

Ecological Role

agent of lepidopteran agricultural pests, particularly stem borers in sugarcane and other crops.

Human Relevance

Lixophaga diatraeae has been investigated and mass-reared for of sugarcane borers in Jamaica and other regions. Malathion applications for other pests can kill flies, though recover due to the 's short residual action.

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