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Title: A new species of Molynocoelia Giglio-Tos (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Ecuador

Author
item Norrbom, Allen

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/4/2011
Publication Date: 11/18/2011
Citation: Norrbom, A.L. 2011. A new species of Molynocoelia Giglio-Tos (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Ecuador. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 113:492-496.

Interpretive Summary: Fruit flies include some of the most important pests of fruits and vegetables, causing billions of dollars in losses worldwide. The majority of the pest species are exotic to the U.S., but their introduction threatens U.S. agriculture. They also severely limit the international markets for the fruit products of many U.S. trading partners. To prevent the introduction of the Mexican fruit fly, the papaya fruit fly, the apple maggot, and other pest species, taxonomic tools are needed to identify them and related flies that might be mistaken for them. This paper provides such tools (description, illustrations) for a previously unknown species closely related to the aforementioned pests. It will be useful to APHIS-PPQ and other regulatory agencies responsible for quarantines to prevent the spread of pest fruit flies and for detecting new pest introductions into the United States.

Technical Abstract: Molynocoelia erwini, a new species of fruit fly from Ecuador is described and illustrated. It differs from its previously known congeners in wing pattern (not banded, distal half brown), scutal and scutellar markings, and male femoral setation.