Fruit-fly
Guides
Aceratoneuromyia
Aceratoneuromyia is a genus of small parasitoid wasps in the family Eulophidae, subfamily Tetrastichinae. Species are primarily gregarious koinobiont endoparasitoids of Diptera, especially fruit flies (Tephritidae). The genus includes economically important biological control agents, notably A. indica, which has been used worldwide in field release programs against fruit fly pests. Recent taxonomic work has synonymized Trjapitzinichus under this genus and described three new species from China.
Acidogona dichromata
Acidogona dichromata is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, first described by Snow in 1894. It belongs to the subfamily Tephritinae and tribe Noeetini. Like other tephritid flies, it likely has patterned wings characteristic of this family. The species is part of a genus distributed in the Neotropical region.
Acinia picturata
sourbush seed fly
Acinia picturata, the sourbush seed fly, is a tephritid fruit fly species first described by Snow in 1894. It has been recorded in association with Pluchea odorata (Asteraceae), representing a documented host plant relationship. The species has established populations in both native and introduced ranges across the Americas and Pacific islands.
Anastrepha
fruit flies, tephritid fruit flies
Anastrepha is a highly diverse genus of tephritid fruit flies native to the American tropics and subtropics, comprising over 300 described species. The genus includes nine major agricultural pest species that inflict substantial damage on commercial fruit crops including citrus, mango, guava, and papaya. Species exhibit variation in oviposition behavior, with females depositing eggs in developing fruit, mature fruit, or seeds depending on the species. The genus has been reorganized taxonomically to include species formerly placed in Toxotrypana, and contains notable cryptic species complexes such as the Anastrepha fraterculus group.
Anastrepha ludens
Mexican fruit fly, Mexfly
Anastrepha ludens, the Mexican fruit fly or Mexfly, is a major agricultural pest native to Mexico and Central America. It is one of the most economically damaging fruit flies, particularly threatening citrus and mango production. The species is notable among Anastrepha species for its subtropical distribution, allowing it to range further north than most congeners. It has been repeatedly introduced to the United States, where it is subject to intensive eradication efforts using sterile insect technique and biological control. The USDA estimates it causes $1.44 billion in damage over five-year periods.
Anastrepha suspensa
Caribbean fruit fly, Greater Antillean fruit fly, guava fruit fly, Caribfly
Anastrepha suspensa is a tephritid fruit fly native to the Caribbean region and now established in Florida. Adults are 11–14 mm long with yellow-orange-brown coloration and distinctive wing venation patterns. The species is a significant agricultural pest, infesting over 100 host plants with particular preference for guava, Cayenne cherry, and citrus. Females possess a serrated ovipositor for cutting into fruit to deposit eggs. Mating occurs through lek formation on host fruit, with males establishing territories and producing acoustic signals through wing vibrations.
Bactrocera
fruit flies
Bactrocera is a large genus of tephritid fruit flies comprising approximately 500 described species. The genus name derives from Ancient Greek 'bakter' (rod) and 'kera' (horn). Many species are economically significant agricultural pests that infest fruits and vegetables. The genus underwent major taxonomic revision in 2015 when Zeugodacus was split from Bactrocera based on DNA evidence.
Biosteres
Biosteres is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, first described by Förster in 1862. Species in this genus are solitary or gregarious endoparasitoids, primarily attacking larvae of tephritid fruit flies. Several species, including B. longicaudatus, B. arisanus, and B. tryoni, have been extensively studied for their use in biological control programs against economically important fruit pests. The genus has an almost cosmopolitan distribution, with species documented across Europe, Asia, North America, and other regions.
Campiglossa clathrata
Campiglossa clathrata is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, first described by Loew in 1862 under the basionym Trypeta clathrata. The species belongs to the large genus Campiglossa, which comprises numerous tephritid species distributed across various regions. Like other members of its family, this species is characterized by distinctive wing patterning. Available information on this species is limited, with only one documented observation in iNaturalist and minimal published biological data.
Campiglossa fuscata
Campiglossa fuscata is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, first described by Macquart in 1851. The species is known only from Australia. As a member of Campiglossa, it belongs to a genus whose larvae commonly develop in flowerheads of Asteraceae, though specific host records for this species are not documented.
Campiglossa genalis
Campiglossa genalis is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, originally described as Trypeta genalis by Thomson in 1869. It belongs to the large genus Campiglossa, which comprises numerous species of small to medium-sized tephritid flies. Very few observations of this species have been documented, with only two records in iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff.
Campiglossa jamesi
Campiglossa jamesi is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, first described by Novák in 1974. It belongs to the genus Campiglossa, a group of tephritid flies commonly known as gall flies or fruit flies. The species is known to occur in Canada and the United States.
Campiglossa murina
Campiglossa murina is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, first described by Doane in 1899. It is distributed across western North America from Alaska and Yukon south to California and New Mexico. The species belongs to a genus of true fruit flies that are often associated with plants in the Asteraceae family.
Ceratitis
Mediterranean fruit flies
Ceratitis is a genus of tephritid fruit flies comprising approximately 80 species, with Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly) being the most economically significant and widely studied. The genus is organized into six subgenera: Acropteromma, Ceratalaspis, Ceratitis, Hoplolophomyia, Pardalaspis, and Pterandrus. Multiple Ceratitis species are major agricultural pests, particularly in Africa, the Mediterranean region, and areas where they have been introduced. The genus has been extensively studied for sterile insect technique applications, with C. capitata serving as a model organism for biological control research.
Ceratitis capitata
Mediterranean fruit fly, medfly
Ceratitis capitata, the Mediterranean fruit fly or medfly, is a highly destructive agricultural pest native to sub-Saharan Africa. It has established populations across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, with frequent incursions into temperate areas including California, Florida, and Texas. The species is considered one of the most economically important fruit flies due to its exceptionally broad host range—over 200 fruit and vegetable species—and its ability to tolerate cooler climates better than most tropical fruit fly species. Adults are small yellow-brown flies with distinctive black thoracic markings.
Chymomyza amoena
A Nearctic drosophilid fruit fly native to eastern United States forests. It has established as an invasive species in Europe since its discovery in former Czechoslovakia in 1975, subsequently spreading to Switzerland, Italy, and German border regions. The species exhibits a distinctive ecological strategy: breeding in damaged or parasitized nuts and fruits rather than relying solely on fermenting substrates. This behavioral constancy for interspecies dependency—exploiting substrates pre-conditioned by other insects—has enabled it to occupy a vacant niche in European ecosystems.
Cladochaeta sturtevanti
Cladochaeta sturtevanti is a species of fruit fly described by Wheeler & Takada in 1971. It belongs to the family Drosophilidae and is placed in the tribe Cladochaetini. Very little specific information about its biology or ecology has been published. The species is one of relatively few in the genus Cladochaeta, which is characterized by distinctive wing venation patterns.
Cryptotreta cislimitensis
Cryptotreta cislimitensis is a species of tephritid fruit fly described by Steyskal in 1977. It belongs to the genus Cryptotreta within the tribe Eutretini, a group of fruit flies known for their often patterned wings and association with plants. Very little published information exists on the biology or ecology of this species.
Diachasmimorpha
Diachasmimorpha is a genus of braconid parasitoid wasps in the subfamily Opiinae, established in 1913. The genus is most clearly defined by an apical sinuate ovipositor, a synapomorphic character that defines a monophyletic lineage. Species in this genus are solitary endoparasitoids of tephritid fruit fly larvae and are widely used as biological control agents in integrated pest management programs. The genus is relatively small and primarily distributed in subtropical regions, with some species extending into the Nearctic and northern Neotropical regions.
Drosophila cardini
Drosophila cardini is a fruit fly species in the Drosophila cardini species group, first described by Sturtevant in 1916 from Havana, Cuba. It belongs to a morphologically similar sibling species complex that includes D. cardinoides and D. polymorpha. Taxonomic reanalysis of Brazilian specimens revealed that most records previously attributed to D. cardinoides were actually D. cardini, particularly from drier regions. The species demonstrates strong adaptation to arid and semi-arid environments compared to its congeners.
Drosophila quinaria
Drosophila quinaria is a species of fruit fly in the Drosophila quinaria species group, first described by Loew in 1866. Unlike most members of its species group, which feed primarily on mushrooms, D. quinaria has independently evolved a diet of decaying vegetative matter. The species is part of a speciose lineage of mushroom-breeding flies that have been studied for their specialist ecology, host-parasite interactions, population genetics, and evolution of immune systems.
Dyseuaresta mexicana
Dyseuaresta mexicana is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, first described by Wiedemann in 1830. It occurs from the southern United States through Central America and the West Indies. Host plant records document associations with Chromolaena odorata (Siam weed) and Mikania scandens (climbing hempweed) in Florida.
Dyseuaresta sobrinata
Dyseuaresta sobrinata is a small tephritid fruit fly described by Wulp in 1900. Adults measure 3–5 mm in length. The species occurs from the United States south to Costa Rica. It belongs to the genus Dyseuaresta within the tribe Tephritini.
Euaresta aequalis
burr-seed fly
Euaresta aequalis is a North American fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, commonly known as the burr-seed fly. It is a specialist herbivore whose only known host is the common cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium). Females possess large ovipositors adapted for penetrating the hard, spiny burr capsules to deposit eggs. The species was introduced to Australia in the 1930s as a biological control agent for invasive cocklebur but established only at low levels and proved ineffective. It is univoltine, with adults active from mid-July to mid-August.
Euaresta bella
Common Ragweed Fruit Fly
Euaresta bella is a tephritid fruit fly species commonly known as the Common Ragweed Fruit Fly. It is specialized on Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) as its sole known larval host plant. The species has a univoltine life cycle, producing one generation annually. It occurs in North America with documented records from the United States including Vermont.
Euaresta bellula
Euaresta bellula is a species of tephritid fruit fly described by Snow in 1894. It belongs to the genus Euaresta, which comprises fruit flies associated with Asteraceae host plants. The species is part of the tribe Tephritini within the subfamily Tephritinae. Observations suggest it occurs across parts of North America, though detailed ecological studies remain limited.
Euaresta bullans
Spiny Cocklebur Fruit Fly
Euaresta bullans is a fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, commonly known as the Spiny Cocklebur Fruit Fly. The species is native to South America and has been introduced to multiple regions including western North America, southern Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, and Australia. It is associated with plants in the genera Ambrosia, Xanthium, and Dicoria, where it feeds on flowers and seeds.
Euaresta festiva
Euaresta festiva is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, first described by Loew in 1862. The genus Euaresta is associated with plants in the genera Ambrosia, Xanthium, and Dicoria, where the flies feed on flowers and seeds. This species belongs to a group of tephritid flies that have evolved specialized relationships with their host plants.
Euaresta stigmatica
Euaresta stigmatica is a fruit fly species in the family Tephritidae. It is known from southern California, where it develops on ragweed plants (Ambrosia spp., Asteraceae). The species was described by Coquillett in 1902. Immature stages have been documented in detail.
Euarestoides abstersus
Euarestoides abstersus is a small fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, restricted to the Bahamas and eastern North America. As a member of the genus Euarestoides, it belongs to a group of six recognized species distributed across the Americas. The species was first described by Loew in 1862. Published literature indicates that host plant and detailed biological data exist but have not been widely disseminated in accessible sources.
Euarestoides acutangulus
Euarestoides acutangulus is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, one of six recognized species in the genus Euarestoides. It has the broadest geographic distribution of any species in the genus, occurring across much of the Americas from Canada to Chile. The species is associated with plants in the Asteraceae family, particularly Ambrosia (ragweeds) and related genera. Larval development occurs within the flower heads of host plants.
Euphranta canadensis
currant fruit fly
Euphranta canadensis is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, commonly known as the currant fruit fly. The species belongs to a genus of true fruit flies that develop in various plant tissues. As a member of Tephritidae, it possesses the characteristic wing patterning typical of the family, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented in published literature.
Eutreta caliptera
Eutreta caliptera is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, a group commonly known as true fruit flies or peacock flies. The species was first described by Thomas Say in 1830 under the basionym Trypeta caliptera. It belongs to the genus Eutreta, which includes gall-forming species associated with plants in the Asteraceae family. Relatively few detailed studies have focused specifically on this species compared to other tephritids.
Ganaspis
Ganaspis is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Figitidae (subfamily Eucoilinae). Species in this genus are larval parasitoids primarily of Drosophilidae and Tephritidae flies. Several species have gained significant attention for biological control of invasive pests, particularly Ganaspis brasiliensis against spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii). The genus has been recorded in Asia, North America, South America, and Europe.
Gymnocarena bicolor
Gymnocarena bicolor is a species of tephritid fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, described by Foote in 1960. It belongs to the genus Gymnocarena within the tribe Xyphosiini. The species is known from limited observations, with records indicating a distribution in Mexico and the United States.
Gymnocarena diffusa
Sunflower Receptacle Maggot
Gymnocarena diffusa is a tephritid fruit fly that develops exclusively on sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Adults are pale with patterned wings and feed on extrafloral nectaries. Females lay eggs between bract layers on sunflower heads, and larvae bore into the head to feed on developing tissues. The species is known from North Dakota and has been observed in Canada and the United States. It completes one generation per year, with larvae overwintering in soil after exiting the sunflower head.
Gymnocarena norrbomi
Gymnocarena norrbomi is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, described from eastern North America in 2012. The species belongs to the subfamily Tephritinae, which includes many phytophagous fruit flies that develop in plant tissues. Larvae of this species develop within the flower heads of specific Asteraceae host plants. The species is one of 19 currently recognized in the genus Gymnocarena.
Icterica seriata
Icterica seriata is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae. It belongs to the genus Icterica, a group of tephritid flies distributed in North America. The species was first described by Loew in 1862. Like other members of Tephritidae, it is characterized by distinctive wing patterning used in species recognition.
Jamesomyia geminata
Jamesomyia geminata is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, originally described as Trypeta geminata by Loew in 1862. It belongs to the genus Jamesomyia within the subfamily Tephritinae and tribe Noeetini. The species has been documented from Canada and the United States, with 31 observations recorded on iNaturalist. As a tephritid fruit fly, it likely shares the family's characteristic wing patterns and association with plants, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in available sources.
Leucophenga
Leucophenga is a large genus of fruit flies in the family Drosophilidae, comprising at least 240 described species. The genus was established by Mik in 1886 and is classified within the subfamily Steganinae. Species occur across multiple continents with documented diversity in India, northern Europe, and other regions. The genus has received taxonomic attention, including recent species descriptions from northern India.
Leucophenga maculosa
Leucophenga maculosa is a small fruit fly in the family Drosophilidae, originally described as Drosophila maculosa by Coquillett in 1895. The species belongs to the subfamily Steganinae and is part of a genus characterized by distinctive spotted or patterned body markings. It has been documented in multiple regions including the eastern United States, Hawaii, and parts of Brazil.
Mycodrosophila claytonae
Mycodrosophila claytonae is a species of fruit fly in the family Drosophilidae, first described by Wheeler and Takada in 1963. It belongs to the genus Mycodrosophila, a group of drosophilid flies often associated with fungal substrates. The species is documented in scattered observations, with 44 records on iNaturalist. Like other members of its genus, it likely has ecological ties to decaying fungal matter.
Neotephritis
sunflower seed maggot
Neotephritis is a genus of tephritid fruit flies established by Hendel in 1935. The genus contains approximately 12 described species distributed in the Americas. At least one species, Neotephritis finalis, is a documented pest of cultivated sunflowers, with larvae feeding within developing flower heads and reducing seed set. Adults are characterized by patterned wings typical of Tephritidae, often with dark markings and hyaline spots.
Neotephritis rava
Neotephritis rava is a tephritid fruit fly species described by Foote in 1960. The genus Neotephritis includes species associated with sunflower hosts, though specific biological details for N. rava remain poorly documented. This species is known only from limited observations in the United States.
Oedicarena latifrons
Oedicarena latifrons is a species of tephritid fruit fly described by Wulp in 1899. It belongs to the genus Oedicarena within the family Tephritidae, a group known for their distinctive wing patterns and association with various host plants. The species was originally described under the basionym Spilographa latifrons. Available records for this species are sparse, with limited observational data documented.
Oedicarena persuasa
Oedicarena persuasa is a species of tephritid fruit fly described by Osten Sacken in 1877. It belongs to the genus Oedicarena within the subfamily Trypetinae. The species is part of the tribe Carpomyini, a group of fruit flies often associated with host plants in the family Asteraceae. Available records indicate limited observational data, with 18 observations documented on iNaturalist.
Oxyna utahensis
Oxyna utahensis is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, described by Quisenberry in 1949. The species is known from the western United States and Canada. As a member of Tephritidae, it belongs to a family commonly known as true fruit flies, many species of which are associated with plants. Relatively little specific information has been published about the biology or ecology of this particular species.
Paracantha culta
Paracantha culta is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae. It occurs in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. As a member of the subfamily Tephritinae and tribe Eutretini, it belongs to a group of tephritid flies often associated with plants. Specific biological details remain poorly documented in published literature.
Paracantha gentilis
Paracantha gentilis is a tephritid fruit fly species described by Hering in 1940 from Wyoming specimens. The species has a complex taxonomic history, with several taxa described by Malloch in 1941 (mimetica, mimetica elongata, mexicana) and Aczél in 1953 (sobrina) later synonymized under P. gentilis when wing pattern variation proved continuous rather than discrete. It is the first Tephritidae species in which the median oral lobe of larvae was described, a character now known to be shared by all non-frugivorous Tephritinae. The species exhibits a bivoltine life cycle with distinct behavioral and morphological adaptations for exploiting Cirsium thistle flowerheads.
Paramyiolia nigricornis
Paramyiolia nigricornis is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae, first described by Doane in 1899 under the name Aciura nigricornis. It is a member of the tribe Trypetini within the subfamily Trypetinae. The species has been recorded from the northeastern United States, specifically Vermont.