TEAM NEWSLETTER

No. 3 December 2006

TO OUR READERS

In this newsletter there are several interesting news to Kenya), Nikos Kouloussis (University of Thessaloniki, be reported. An important development is that the web Greece), Cathy Smallridge (South Australian Research page of our group is ready and may be visited at and Development Institute) and Mike Stefan (USDA). http://www.tephritid.org/twd.team/srv/en/home Though We wish them good success in their new duties. the page looks quite good there is certainly room for improvement. Towards this direction the list of TEAM In Salvador Aris Economopoulos gave a talk on the members will be soon posted on the site. Please development of the International Fruit Symposia. check your personal information to see if everything is He started from 1982 when the first meeting was correct. Another important thing is a change decided organized in Athens, and went on describing in a most by our Steering Committee regarding the date of the passionate way the second meeting that was held in first Scientific Meeting of our group in Majorca Spain. Crete and was attended by all prominent fruit fly The Meeting will be held at the beginning of April 2008 workers at the time, including the late Ronald Prokopy. (rather than in 2007), so please mark your calendars In this newsletter we present part of this talk and also with this new date! The Organizing and Scientific photographs from the meeting in Crete. We also Committees were announced in the previous present a few photos from a special celebration in newsletter. Salvador where Aldo Malavasi and Jorge Hendrichs thanked Aris for his contribution to the fruit fly In September 2006 most of us met in Salvador Bahia community. Brazil to attend the 7th International Symposium of Fruit of Economic Importance and the 6th Meeting In the current newsletter Marc De Meyer contributes of the Working Group on Fruit Flies of the Western the main article on the of African Fruit Hemisphere. Everything was perfectly organized and Infesting . In his article Marc deals with the the atmosphere warm and friendly. I would like to importance of Taxonomy and the need for new “blood” congratulate Aldo Malavasi and the organizing in this field. Fruit trading and human mobility increases committee for this superb job. There were more than the risk of introduction of exotic Tephritids that 250 research papers presented and around 350 devastate local fruit production. This calls for fast an participants from 60 countries. Significant new unambiguous identification. Both classical taxonomy knowledge on basic and applied aspects of fruit fly and modern molecular technologies should be research was reported. Besides, there were several combined to this end as Marc proposes. The paper satellite meetings organized mainly by the International briefly and comprehensively describes the major Atomic Energy Agency that focused on specific topics African groups of fruit infesting Tephritids. At the end of fruit fly management. there is an introduction to “the barcoding of life”, an exciting new project that has included fruit flies as a In Salvador one of the founders of the International subject group. DNA barcoding uses a short portion of Fruit Fly Symposia, Professor Aris Economopoulos, the genome (usually the mitochondrial cytochrome-c retired from the International Fruit Fly Steering oxidase I; COI gene in ) for identifying species. Committee (IFFST). Through his active participation in Barcoding does not compete with traditional taxonomy the IFFSC for a period of nearly 30 years Aris but rather comes to supplement it. Economopoulos contributed immensely to the successful organization of many Fruit Fly Symposia This newsletter and all that follow will be distributed by and to the advancement of knowledge on fruit flies. On e-mail and will be also posted on our TEAM web site. behalf of the Steering Committee I would like to thank Please send us your news to be included in the next Aris sincerely and also ask him to keep contributing his newsletter. experience to the fruit fly community. Nikos Papadopoulos Other members who retired from the IFFSC are Pat Chairman of the Steering Committee Gomes, who successfully chaired the Committee for a University of Thessaly, School of Agriculture period, and Daniel Frias and Hiro Kuba who made 38442 N. Ionia (Volos) Magnisias, Greece valuable contributions through their active [email protected] membership. We thank them all. Four new members joined the committee. These are Sunday Ekesi (ICIPE,

TEAM Newsletter No. 3 (December 2006) 1

TAXONOMY OF AFRICAN FRUIT INFESTING TEPHRITIDAE: ROOM FOR OPTIMISM?

Species identification is considered the first Tanzania. In both cases, only two taxonomic prerequisite for any fundamental or applied research specialists could provide an authoritative identity. Only topic. Biologists or agronomists can neither report one of them has a profound knowledge of both the empirical results nor access published information on African and Oriental fauna of this group but recently a study organism until it is correctly identified (De retired. No new generation is currently being trained, Meier et al., 2006). The role and importance of not for lack of interest in the current generation to pass taxonomic knowledge and identification service can, on the acquired knowledge but because of a lack of therefore, not be overestimated. The problem poses means and general interest in the field of taxonomy. itself less for well known pest species such as the Although this problem has been addressed for more Mediterranean fruit fly (). However, than 20 years, within the framework of the biodiversity several important fruit fly pests belong to complexes of crisis (Wilson, 1985) as well as specifically for sibling species which are not easy to differentiate one Tephritidae (White, 1989), little or no improvement has from another. In addition, tropical faunas such as been noticed over the last decades. On the contrary, those of Africa, Asia and South America, are relatively revisionary taxonomy, which lays at the basis of proper poorly known and harbour a magnitude of undescribed identification tools, is more and more under pressure species that may confuse proper identification of the because of more attractive or novel disciplines economic important ones. Finally, the increasing risk (Wheeler, 2004). of exotic introductions and invasive species requires a profound taxonomic knowledge of the faunas of Despite all the gloom and doom, has there been no different geographic regions, in order to provide a fast progress made in the field of fruit fly taxonomy and and unambiguous identification. Nevertheless, there is systematics? As far as our knowledge on the a serious crisis in the field of taxonomy with an ever taxonomy of the major fruit infesting tephritid genera in declining number of taxonomic specialists. For Africa is concerned, we can be slightly more optimistic. example, Drew & Romig (2000) listed only 11 major Over the last 10 years, taxonomists have tried hard to contributors to tephritid taxonomy worldwide at that revise the major groups and to provide means and time. That number has currently been reduced to 9. In tools for the larger scientific community to enable tropical regions, the situation is even more critical unambiguous recognition and identification. Also, since it is hard to obtain funding for classical researchers are looking at other ID tools than the taxonomic studies which are often considered as traditional morphological characters and dichotomous merely descriptive and without significant scientific keys. In addition, current attempts are being made to impact. Motivating and training scientists from tropical place the taxonomic knowledge in a larger regions in classical taxonomy is not an easy matter. phylogenetic and evolutionary framework. Financial support and assistance has been provided, as a by- product of larger research activities, to alleviate the current problems. In particular several of the endeavours listed below were supported through two subsequent grants of USAID and USDA, obtained by R. Wharton (Texas A&M University) during 1999-2005.

The point of reference is the state-of-the-art publication by Aluja & Norrbom (1999), produced after the Xalapa meeting in 1998. At this successful meeting, 35 tephritid workers active in the field of taxonomy and ecology/behaviour came together in Mexico for a review of the then current status of knowledge on fruit fly phylogeny and behaviour. Regarding the major groups in Africa, the dacines, the general lack of taxonomic identification tools was

highlighted as a drawback in the study of these groups Mango fruit fly (Ceratitis cosyra). Photograph by (Drew & Hancock, 1999), a feat already remarked R.S. Copeland. upon by I. White ten years earlier (White, 1989). Luckily, thanks to the projects mentioned above, both This and related facts were amply demonstrated in the holding a taxonomic component, several of the last years with the detection of invasive Asian shortcomings could be addressed. species in Africa. First there was the detection of an undescribed species, belonging to the The intention of this paper is to give a review of the Bactrocera dorsalis complex (Lux et al., 2003). The existing taxonomic literature and tools currently latter complex is a group of more than 70 closely available, which can assist in unambiguous species related species that are often difficult to distinguish identification of representatives of the major fruit fly one from another (Drew & Hancock, 1994). The pest genera found in Africa. These are mainly African species was later described as new to science (Drew representatives of the dacines (Tephritidae, Dacini), et al., 2005) under the appropriate name Bactrocera including the genera Bactrocera, Ceratitis, and Dacus invadens. More recently (October 2006), there was the and to a lesser extent and . finding of the solanum fruit fly, Bactrocera latifrons in They are grouped in two subtribes: Ceratitidina and TEAM Newsletter No. 3 (December 2006) 2

Dacina. White & Elson-Harris (1994) list about 50 as a tool within the scope of an USAID funded project. species of major or minor economic importance in These keys use illustrations to differentiate the these five genera from Africa. Recent developments diagnostic character states and allow the user to are highlighted for each of these groups. The choose characters to assist in identification. An taxonomic treatise is followed by a chapter on a novel annotated list of host for Ceratitis was initiative where the use of molecular tools is being furthermore published separately by De Meyer et al. investigated as an aid to identification. (2002).

Ceratitidine fruit flies Besides the purely taxonomic revisions, morphological The Ceratitidina comprises three genera of major or and molecular studies have also investigated the minor economic importance: Ceratitis, Trirhithrum and relationships between the extant species of Ceratitis Capparimyia. Ceratitis is a predominantly Afrotropical (Barr & McPheron, 2005; De Meyer, 2005). Although genus, comprising 94 described species divided into conflicting in some aspects, there is also some six subgenera (Ceratitis s.s., Ceratalaspis, Pterandrus, common ground. For example, the subgenus Pardalaspis and the monotypic genera Pardalaspis is clearly a monophyletic group in both Hoplolophomyia and Acropteromma). Only the studies. Also the subgenus Ceratitis s.s. is largely infamous medfly (Ceratitis capitata) is now spread monophyletic with possible exception of the most basal worldwide due to human activities, although other taxon (C. cornuta). The subgenus Pterandrus might, species might have the same potential at least as far as a whole, not be monophyletic but two distinct as ecological requirements are concerned. The subgroups are recognized within. Both studies also different subgenera were taxonomically revised over indicate the subgenus Ceratalaspis as not being the last 10 years resulting in a number of separate monophyletic but comprising some distinct species publications (De Meyer, 1996, 1998, 2000; De Meyer groups. The genus has an interesting evolutionary & Copeland, 2001; De Meyer & Freidberg, 2006). relationship towards host plants in the sense that These publications provide detailed descriptions and some representatives are polyphagous, attacking a illustrations of the major diagnostic characters, clarify wide variety of unrelated hosts belonging to several the status of synonymous names, list distributional families. Other groups are stenophagous, being data and host plants and recognize species groups specialized on a particular host plant genus. Both within the larger subgenera such as Ceratalaspis and molecular and morphological evidence show that the Pterandrus. They also provide classical dichotomous stenophagous specialists belong to individual keys for both sexes. monophyletic clades, hence current taxa attacking a particular host plant genus seem to have a common The Afrotropical genus Trirhithrum is closely related to ancestry. Such clades are found for species attacking Ceratitis and might even be a subgeneric part of the the plant genera Solanum, Strychnos, Podocarpus, latter. The larvae develop in soft fruits, particularly of and Cola and probably also Vepris. The evolutionary the coffee-plant family Rubiaceae (White et al., 2003). process behind these specialisations is unclear. One They have also been studied in the search of hypothesis currently under investigation is that this can that can be used in the biological control of be the result of an innovative trait in the larval Ceratitis fruit flies. White et al. (2003) revised the development. Key innovations are traits which, once group comprising 40 recognized species, and provided evolved, increase the rate of cladogenesis within a descriptions, host plant data, and a dichotomous key. lineage. Fruits of genera such as Solanum and The genus Capparimyia is much smaller than the Strychnos are known to harbour toxins that have preceding two. Representatives of this group develop strong detrimental effects on the larvae of many in plants of the caper family (Capparidaceae). They tephritids (Prokopy & Papaj, 1999). By overcoming this have an Afrotropical distribution, except for C. toxicity, it could provide a novel food resource for the savastani which is found in the Mediterranean region, larval development. Other evolutionary trends, the Arabian Peninsula and Pakistan. It is considered a however, may also have played a major role in the pest of cultivated capers that are grown to be pickled exploration of novel fruit hosts. as a relish. All eight species were also revised recently (De Meyer & Freidberg, 2005) and a key provided, as Dacine fruit flies well as a cladistic analysis outlining the relationships The African Dacina fauna consists of two main groups. among the species and evolutionary trends regarding Firstly the genus Dacus, with 177 species recognized host use within the Capparidaceae. in Africa, versus about 70 Indo-Australian species. Secondly a small contingent of 11 native Bactrocera Most of this published information is also available in species, out of more than 500 described species electronic format through two different media. De mainly from the Indo-Australian region. In addition, Meyer and White developed a website within the some Asian Bactrocera species were introduced to framework of an EU funded project, ‘European Africa, like B. cucurbitae, B. zonata, B. invadens, and Network for Biodiversity Information’ (ENBI), and with recently B. latifrons. While the representatives of the assistance of the Belgian Biodiversity Platform Bactrocera attack soft fruits from a wide variety of (http://projects.bebif.be/fruitfly/index.html). This plant families, the hosts of Dacus species belong to website lists both the taxon information such as only three plant families: Cucurbitaceae, description, illustrations and distribution map, as well Passifloraceae and Apocynaceae. For years the only as the individual specimen information. It furthermore comprehensive reference work to the African fauna provides digital images of all major diagnostic was the treatise by H.K. Munro (1984). However, this structures to aid in the identification. The same authors work was considered largely inaccessible to the non- also developed electronic multi-entry keys (based on specialist. It did not provide an identification key to the CABIKEY software) for Ceratitis and Trirhithrum, species level but proposed a system of coded

TEAM Newsletter No. 2 (December 2006) 3 characters in stead. Recently, however, the dacine evolutionary traits that have lead to the diversification fauna of Africa and the Middle East was reviewed by and current biogeographical distribution of the Dacina, White (2006). This monograph presents us with is certainly an interesting research element that needs species descriptions, an easy to use identification key, further investigation. and distributional, lure and host plant information. The book is accompanied by a CD-Rom holding additional Molecular barcoding, tool of the future? information such as all basic data related to the Given the problems encountered during identification, individual specimens that were studied within the other approaches besides the purely morphological course of the revision, as well as a database of digital identification, have been explored over the years. images illustrating the main diagnostic features used in Especially because of the declining number of identification. In addition, the work presents a working taxonomists, and their ever increasing overload with template of species groups formation, and their requests for their services, the need is felt for association with named subgeneric divisions, all of alternative systems providing reliable identification by which will hopefully serve as the basis for more non-specialists. For non-adult stages, even the detailed research in the years to come. In this regard, specialists are stymied because eggs, larvae, or it can already be considered a major reference work pupae are difficult or impossible to identify using for the group. morphological features. Over the past three years, “DNA barcoding” has been proposed as a system for identifying species using a very short gene sequence from a standardized portion of the genome (Herbert et al., 2003). Once a validated diagnostic system has been developed, the DNA barcode sequence can be obtained from a tiny tissue sample (such as an egg or ) and assigned to a species using an on- line reference database of DNA barcodes. The mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase I (“COI”) gene has proven to be an effective barcode gene region in almost all higher groups, especially among insects. DNA barcodes will likely provide the base upon which new diagnostic technologies of the future will be built. A number of agricultural agencies have begun to explore DNA barcoding as a tool for pest identification. The Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL; www.barcoding.si.edu), an international The invasive fruit fly Bactrocera invadens. initiative hosted by the Smithsonian Institution in Photograph by R.S. Copeland. Washington, is partnering with these agencies to promote barcoding as a practical tool. CBOL and its A first cladistic analysis, based on a set of 21 partners have set the ambitious goal of creating the characters and a subset of 30 species groups is also first practical DNA Barcoding Demonstrator System presented for the African representatives of Dacus. that will be able to identify any specimen from an Because of the staggering homoplasy observed agricultural pest group from anywhere in the world. throughout the genus, any cladistic analysis is Fruit flies (Tephritidae) have been selected as one of hampered by low compatibility found among the the possible subject groups. observed character states. The proposed subgeneric relationships and phylogeny are considered by White This 2 year project is managed by the Steering (2006) as a mere working hypothesis that should be Committee for the Tephritid Barcoding Initiative (TBI). tested in detail. Simultaneously to the work by White, Results of a pilot study conducted by the Steering the subgeneric classification within the genus Dacus Committee indicate that this project can rely almost worldwide was also studied by Hancock & Drew entirely on tissue samples from identified specimens (2006). Although they did provide a character state currently housed in major insect collections worldwide. matrix of 34 characters, coded for 241 species (partly Specimens collected as early as 1929 have repeatedly based on literature, partly on examination of 150 produced DNA from which reference barcodes can be species), the delimitation of subgenera and species obtained. The work will be distributed among groups as well as the phylogenetic relationships were coordinated regional centres, each focusing on not based upon a cladistic analysis but on a visual regional pests and museums/collections and should interpretation of the distribution of the character states produce a COI database consisting of 10,000 throughout the matrix. Both systems are compared in specimens and 2,000 species, including all species of White (2006). economic importance, the majority of their congeners, and representatives of genera and tribes that have no The origin of the African versus Indo-Australian fauna economically important species. both for Bactrocera and Dacus, has been speculated upon in different articles (Drew & Hancock, 1999; However, the people involved in TBI realize that such Drew, 2004; White, 2006), largely producing two a molecular database will raise as many questions as opposing views. Drew & Hancock (1999) and Drew it will resolve. There are bound to be new species (2004) propose an Indo-Madagascan origin for Dacus complexes to be discovered; while other recognized while White (2006) proposes an alternative hypothesis sibling species might not be differentiable using with an African origin, in view of known chronology for standard marker such as COI. There remains, the evolution of flowering plant families. The therefore, an even greater need for a new generation

TEAM Newsletter No. 2 (December 2006) 4 of traditional taxonomists who will have to try and De Meyer, M. 2005. Phylogeny of the fruit fly genus Ceratitis resolve questions raised by this work. Barcoding is MacLeay (Diptera: Tephritidae). Ins. Syst. Evol. 36, 459- thus not seen as a replacement for traditional 480. systematics but rather an extra tool in identification De Meyer, M. & Freidberg, A. 2005. A systematic revision of the genus Capparimyia (Diptera: Tephritidae). Zool. Scripta procedures. In order to stress the importance of 34, 279-303. morphological taxonomy, the project proposal includes Drew, R.A.I. 2004. Biogeography and speciation in the Dacini a strong training element specifically in this field in (Diptera: Tephritidae: ). Bishop Mus. Bull. Entomol. order to ensure the transfer of knowledge from the 12, 165-178. declining group of fruit fly specialists to the next Drew, R.A.I. & Hancock, D.L. 1994. The Bactrocera dorsalis generation. complex of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) in Asia. Bull. Entomol. Res. Suppl. 2, 68pp. Drew, R.A.I. & Hancock, D.L.1999. Phylogeny of the tribe Looking at the work carried out in the last decade on Dacini (Dacinae) based on morphological, distributional and African fruit flies, and the planned activities, I think biological data. Pp. 491-504 in Aluja, M. & Norrbom, A.L. there is room for some optimism, without indulging in (eds) Fruit flies (Tephritidae): phylogeny and evolution of outright euphoria. With revisions of the major taxa behavior. CRC Press, Boca Raton. finalized and reference works available, the Drew, R.A.I. & Romig M.C. 2000. Tephritid taxonomy into the st foundations are laid for a robust taxonomy. Novel tools 21 Century – Research opportunities and applications. Pp. are being explored, and the taxonomic ground work is 677-683 in Tan, K.-H. (ed.) Area-Wide Control of Fruit Flies currently leading to more in depth research. It is my and Other Insect Pests. Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. hope that young scientists can be motivated to Drew RAI, Tsuruta K, White IM, 2005. A new species of pest continue the basic descriptive alpha-taxonomy work, fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) from Sri Lanka and as well as to further unravel the evolutionary Africa. Afr. Entomol. 13, 149-154. tendencies that have lead to these spectacular Hancock, D.L. & Drew R.A.I. 2006. A revised classification of speciation and diversification events. subgenera, and species groups in Dacus Fabricius (Diptera, Tephritidae). Instrumenta Biodiv. 7, 167-205. Acknowledgements Herbert, P.D.N., Cywinska, A., Ball, S.L. & deWaard, J.R. 2003. Biological identifications through DNA barcodes. The above listed research activities where I was Proc. R.. Soc. Ser. B 270, 313-321. personally involved in, were performed in collaboration Lux S.A., Copeland R.S., White I.M., Manrakhan A. & Billah with several individuals and institutions. The results M.K. 2003. A new invasive fruit fly species from the and ideas put forward here are, in large, the result of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) group detected in East Africa. this collaborative work. In particular, I would like to Insect Sc. Applic. 23, 355-360. mention, in alphabetical order, Norman Barr (USDA- Meier, R., Shiyang, K., Vaidya, G. & Ng, P.K.L. 2006. DNA APHIS, Texas, USA), Bob Copeland (International barcoding and taxonomy in Diptera: a tale of high Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, intraspecific variability and low identification success. Syst. Biol. 55, 715-728. Kenya), Nathalie Erbout (University Ghent, Belgium), Munro, H.K. 1984. A taxonomic treatis on the Dacidae Amnon Freidberg (Tel Aviv University, Israel), Bruce (, Diptera) of Africa. Entomol. Mem., Dept McPheron (PennState University, USA), Massimiliano Agric. Water Supply, Rep. S. Afr. 61, ix + 313pp Virgilio (Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Prokopy, R.J. & Papaj, D.R. 1999. Behavior of flies of the Belgium), Bob Wharton (Texas A&M University, USA), genera Rhagoletis, and Carpomya and Ian White (Natural History Museum, London UK). (: Carpomyina). Pp. 219-252 in Aluja, M. & The chapter on Tephritid Barcoding Initiative was Norrbom, A.L. (eds) Fruit flies (Tephritidae): phylogeny and largely taken from an earlier draft on the initiative for a evolution of behavior. CRC Press, Boca Raton. Wheeler, Q.D. 2004. Taxonomic triage and the poverty of CBOL demonstrating leaflet. phylogeny. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B 359, 571-583. White, I.M. 1989. The state of fruit fly taxonomy and future References cited research priorities. Pp. 543-552 in Cavalloro, R. (ed.) Fruit Aluja, M. & Norrbom, A.L. 1999. Fruit flies (Tephritidae): flies of economic importance 87. Proceedings of the phylogeny and evolution of behavior. CRC Press, Boca CEC/IOBC International Symposium, Rome. A.A. Balkema, Raton, 944pp. Rotterdam. Barr, N.B. & McPheron, B.A. 2006. Molecular phylogenetics White I.M. 2006. Taxonomy of the Dacina (Diptera: of the genus Ceratitis (Diptera: Tephritidae). Mol. Phyl. Tephritidae) of Africa and the Middle East. Afr. Entomol. Evol. 38, 216-230. Mem. 2, 1-156. De Meyer M. 1996. Revision of the subgenus Ceratitis White, I.M. & Elson-Harris, M.-M. 1994. Fruit flies of (Pardalaspis) Bezzi, 1918 (Diptera, Tephritidae, Ceratitini). economic significance: their identification and bionomics. Syst. Entomol. 21, 15-26. [reprint with addendum]. C.A.B. International, London & De Meyer M. 1998. Revision of the subgenus Ceratitis Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, (Ceratalaspis) Hancock (Diptera, Tephritidae, Ceratitini). Canberra, 601pp. Bull. Entomol. Res. 88, 257-290. White, I.M., Copeland, R.S. & Hancock, D.L. 2003. Revision De Meyer, M. 2000. Systematic revision of the subgenus of the afrotropical genus Trirhithrum Bezzi (Diptea: Ceratitis MacLeay s.s. (Diptera, Tephritidae). Zool. J. Linn. Tephritidae). Cimbebasia 18, 71-137. Soc. 128, 439-467. Wilson, E.O. 1985. The biodiversity crisis: a challenge to De Meyer, M. & Copeland, R.S. 2001. Taxonomic notes on science. Issues Sci. Tech. 20-29. the afrotropical subgenera Ceratitis (Acropteromma) Bezzi and C. (Hoplolophomyia) Bezzi (Diptera: Tephritidae). Cimbebasia 17, 77-84. Marc De Meyer De Meyer, M., Copeland, R.S., Lux, S.A., Mansell, M., Quilici, Head Entomology Section S., Wharton, R., White, I.M. & Zenz, N.J. 2002. Annotated Royal Museum for Central Africa check list of host plants for afrotropical fruit flies (Diptera: Leu Leuvensesteenweg 13 Tephritidae) of the genus Ceratitis. Doc. zool., Mus. r. Afr. B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium Cent. 27, 1-91. [email protected] De Meyer, M. & Freidberg, A. 2006. Revision of the subgenus Ceratitis (Pterandrus) Bezzi (Diptera: Tephritidae). Isr. J. Entomol. 35/36, 197-315.

TEAM Newsletter No. 2 (December 2006) 5

THE FOUNDATION OF FRUIT FLIES SYMPOSIA SERIES

Main parts of a talk given by Aristidis pheromones, artificial rearing and control dominated Economopoulos during the 7th INTERNATIONAL the symposium. The Mediterranean fruit fly and FRUIT FLY SYMPOSIUM, Brazil fly were the species in over 50% of presentations.

As fruit flies infestation problems in tropical and subtropical regions grew bigger and bigger, among others because of extensive invasions caused by expanded international travel and trade, the community of fruit flies workers grew larger and larger. The fruit industry grew also bigger because of expansion of fruit trade across the world, e.g. grapes to Europe from South America in winter.

Back in the early 70s, coordinated fruit fly international projects became common. In Greece, a big project on olive tree protection financed by FAO was initiated in 1970. It included 5 research centers and lasted 12 years in total. One of the research centers was “Democritos” in Athens, in which an entomology group emphasized on SIT olive fly control and related research. Under this project several fruit fly experts have been invited for short duration joint research and exchange of thoughts. Among the invited experts, B. Fletcher, K. Hagen, R. Prokopy, L. Steiner, N. Tanaka, J. Tumlinson and several others. The need to meet and exchange ideas with fruit fly research people, Photo of 1st IFFS Logo dispersed from the Mediterranean to the Pacific and the Americas and from Europe to South Africa, Although in the closing plenary sessionst and the appeared more and more important to us, junior fruit symposium recommendation of the 1 IFFS the fly researchers at that time, for the advancement of importance to continue the fruit fly quadrennial basic and applied knowledge and the development of symposia had been underlined, no organization to alternative control methodologies. secure continuation (e.g. steering committee) had been established. Furthermore, some fruit fly In 1978-79 we realized that an international colleagues were not very enthusiastic with the idea of symposium on fruit flies, in-between international an international symposiumst on fruit flies. Thus, almost congresses of entomology, would secure more 3 years following the 1 IFFS no activities for the frequent meetings and exchange of useful information organization of the second symposium had been among fruit fly “fans” (term recently introduced by initiated. A very small group of fruit fly people realized McInnis, if I am correct). Until then smaller fruit fly that if the decision for quadrennial symposia was not meetings within working groups or RCMs of observed timely, no guarantee for continuation was coordinated programs were the case. By nature, all possible. At emergency procedures, an international these small meetings were of restricted subject and organizing committee with strong Greek participation usually did not involve people from basic science was set up, while the IAEA was asked to approvend that located mostly in universities. all mail concerning the organization of the 2 IFFS be handled through its services. Thanks to the strong The 1st International Fruit Fly Symposium was support by Don Lindquist, the Agency allowed the organized in Athens in 1982. Following proposal by present speaker to manage the organization of the this speaker, the IOBC Working Group on Fruit Flies symposium from the Seibersdorf Lab and the ndInsect also participated in the organization of the 1st IFFS and Pest Control Section of IAEA. Finally, the 2 IFFS and contributed financially to this end. The late R. was organized in Colymbari, Crete in September 1986 Cavalloro, also a member of the WG at that time, in a unique location. The basic research component supported the idea and secured that the European was very strong with prominent scientists from Union (of which he was an employee) will cover some Harvard, Berkeley, Riverside, Davis, Amherst, travel costs and publish the proceedings. The Greek Cambridge, Sienna, CSIRO presenting important organizing committee established, secured funding topics and results. To all participants this was an from several Greek authorities, among others the extraordinary scientific meeting. For some participants Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Research this was the best meeting they had ever attended both and Technology. The symposium was organized in in science and friendly and inspiring atmosphere and November 1982 with 85 original research oral events. For some junior fruit fly colleagues it was the presentations and about 120 participants from 35 decision moment for their subsequent research career. countries. Nine major fruit fly species were research subjects of the above presentations: A. suspensa, C. capitata, D. dorsalis, frontalis, oleae and tryoni, R. cerasi, conversa and pomonella. Behavior,

TEAM Newsletter No. 3 (December 2006) 6

symposium obligations, left over funds (mainly from subscription fees and proceedings sales) should be contributed to the organization of the 3rd IFFS.

The continuation is well known, a series of quadrennial symposia of extraordinary success in Guatemala, Florida, Malaysia, South Africa and now in Brazil. The latter with 250 research presentations and 350 participants from 58 countries. What an evolutionary success!

Photo of a sketch by R. Prokopy

Concluding this short review I would like to project a

nd hand sketch by the late R. Prokopy, a pioneer in the Photos of 2 IFFS, Logo and Participants study of fruit fly foraging behavior and its use in

nd developing environmentally safe control At the conclusion of the 2 symposium an methodologies. It was made on a hot summer day of international steering committee was established with 1973, returning from field experimentation on wild olive J. Hendrichs, F. Kafatos, D. Lindquist and R. Prokopy fly colour response and host tree/fruit orientation near as first members. Interested fruit fly groups, Athens. It was an outlet and relief scenario for results organizations and symposium participants were asked not quite predictable or anticipated. to nominate another 4 members. B. Fletcher, at that time convenor of the IOBC global group on fruit flies, Aristidis Economopoulos was asked to administer the completion of the steering Department of committee synthesis and election of chairman. In the University of Crete 2nd IFFS it was suggested that the 3rd one be P.O. Box 2208, Heraklion 71409, Greece organized in Latin America, given the large area-wide [email protected] control programs operated in the area. Also it was decided that following payment of all

Scetch of a medfly

couple (By David Nestel)

TEAM Newsletter No. 2 (December 2006) 7

A FEW PHOTOS FROM A SPECIAL OCCASION

In Salvador one of the founders of the International Fruit Fly Symposia, Professor Aris Economopoulos, retired from the International Fruit Fly Steering Committee. Below are some photos from a special event, where Aldo Malavasi and Jorge Hendrichs thank Aris for his immence contribution to the successful organization of many Fruit Fly Symposia as well as his general contribution to the fruit fly research.

BOOK REVIEW

Merz, B. (ed.) 2006. Phylogeny, taxonomy and sessions with field excursions. The first meeting of this biology of tephritoid flies (Diptera, Tephritoidea) – nature was organised by Amnon Freidberg (Tel Aviv Proceedings of the 3rd Tephritoid taxonomist’s University, Israel) in 2000, while Bernhard Merz Meeting. Instrumenta Biodiversitatis 7: 274pp. (Muséum d’ Histoire Naturelle, Geneva Switzerland) Published by the Muséum d’Histoire Natural, organized the next one in 2004. During the latter Geneva. ISBN 2-88139-012-9. meeting, 23 oral communications and 4 posters were presented. The proceedings were published in the In July 2004, 29 scientists from 18 different countries summer of this year, comprising 11 scientific papers came together in Switzerland for a meeting on based on some of the communications presented tephritoid taxonomy, phylogeny and biology. This was during the meeting. The majority of the 11 papers deal the third meeting of this kind. The idea started in 1998 with taxonomy (8 articles). Furthermore there are when tephritid systematists and behavioural ecologists various contributions on faunistics, morphology and came together in Xalapa, Mexico to review the current biology (1 article each). One paper deals with several state of knowledge on fruit fly behaviour, phylogeny families within the Tephritoidea. All others deal with and related subjects. During that meeting it was Tephritidae s.s., except for some contributions on suggested to gather at regular intervals to provide and . This diversity in topics updates on tephritid research and related families. It is a good reflection of the actual presentations during was also conceived from the beginning that these the meeting. meetings would be a combination of presentation

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Elena Kameneva (Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, The last two concluding chapters look at particular Kiev, Ukraine) presents a review of the East Asian and island faunas. The first, by John Smit (Utrecht, the Papuan species of the ulidiid genus Herina. The genus Netherlands) looks at the fauna of the Madeiran Herina is mainly distributed in the Palaearctic and archipelago, in the Atlantic Ocean. He presents a Oriental regions, and seems to be associated with checklist of the 16 tephritid species recorded (including plants among the Poaceae and Caricaceae. She occurrence of olive fruit fly) and provides several new reviews, redescribes and illustrates the 8 known fly-host plant relations. Jonathan Brown (Grinnell species and describes a further 10 new ones. College, Iowa USA) and his colleagues look at the phylogeny, host association and wing pattern in the Unusual head ornamentations are a morphological endemic Hawaiian fruit flies. These fruit flies belong to feature observed in several dipteran families. The three different genera and all attack the endemic most conspicuous are the stalk eyed-flies (Diopsidae) Hawaiian silverswords, and other endemic Asteraceae. or the antlered fruit flies of the genus . Less Among their initial findings is the indication of a single well known is the unusual head morphology in colonizing ancestor for the endemic taxa, and the lack Platystomatidae, another tephritoid group. Andy of evidence for co-speciation between plants and Whittington (Dunbar, U.K.) explores the variety of head . modifications in the subfamily Plastotephritinae. He furthermore proposes a system of classification of Marc De Meyer head modifications within the dipterous families. Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium

Giuseppe Gentilini (Emilia Romagna, Italy) and co- authors present a review of the fossil tephritoid flies. FP7 EU-FUNDED RESEARCH Part of the article is based on Upper Miocene The Seventh Framework Programme for Research compression fossils from Central Italy. Furthermore and Technological Development (FP7) is the the taxonomic position of all known European fossil European Union’s main instrument for funding Tephritoidea is reviewed. This is an endeavour that research in Europe and it will run from 2007 to 2013. cannot be underestimated because of its importance in The EC budget for the next seven years is € 50.5 studies of larger phylogeny and interrelationships billion. The Programme supports research in selected between tephritoid families. priority areas including Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology. The aim is to make, or keep, the EU The next six chapters deal with specific taxonomic as a world leader in those sectors and also respond to problems within the family Tephritidae. The genera of Europe’s employment needs and competitiveness. the basal lineage of Tachiniscinae are reviewed by FP7 is made up of 4 main blocks of activities forming 4 Valery Korneyev (Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, specific programmes plus a fifth specific programme Kiev, Ukraine) and Allen Norrbom (National Museum on nuclear research: of Natural History, Washington DC, USA). Tachiniscinae are not phytophagous but are believed More Information to be parasitoids of other insects. This way they take European Research Portal: an unusual place within the family. The paper www.ec.europa.eu/research proposes an intergeneric classification within this subfamily. It also presents a generic key. Phylogeny General information on the Seventh EU Research and classification is also the topic of the next two Framework Programmes: chapters. First a cladistic analysis of the subtribe www.ec.europa.eu/research/fp7 Pelmatopina by Xiao-lin Chen and Xing-jian Wang Specific information on research programmes, (Institute of Zoology, Beijing, China). Representatives projects and FP7 Call documents: of Pelmatopina also have tremendous long eye-stalks www.cordis.europa.eu/fp7 (similar as in diopsids) but their life history is unknown. The next chapter, by David Hancock (Cairns, General information requests: Australia) and Richard Drew (Griffith University, www.ec.europa.eu/research/enquiries Brisbane, Australia) proposes a revised classification for groups within the genus Dacus, a genus with many FORTHCOMING MEETINGS representatives in Africa, including several pest species. Severin and Valery Korneyev (Schmalhausen First Meeting of Tephritid Workers of Europe Africa Institute) report on the biology and immature stage of and the Middle East, Spring 2008, Majorca, Spain. Malica caraganae, one of the more aenigmatic Palaearctic Tephritidae. It is a species that attacks THIS NEWSLETTER beans of Caragana turkestanica and that seems to be This newsletter is intended for the publication of distantly related to African tephritids. The two subjects of interest to the members of TEAM. All succeeding chapters deal with flowerhead infesting content is solicited from the membership and should fruitflies. The first is an account on the sunflower be addressed to: infesting genus Gymnocarena by Allen Norrbom in North America. He presents descriptions of three new the Chairman of the steering committee, species within this genus as well as several new host Nikos Papadopoulos, ([email protected]) plant and distribution records. This is followed by a or to the editor of the newsletter: paper on a new Afrotropical genus, and three new species, infesting flowerheads of Vernonia. Irina Nikos Kouloussis Zonstein and Amnon Freidberg (Tel Aviv University, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Israel) describe the schistopterine genus Setoides, School of Agriculture based on material from eastern and equatorial Africa. 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece [email protected]

TEAM Newsletter No. 2 (December 2006) 9

TEAM STEERING COMMITTEE

Nikos Papadopoulos ([email protected]), Greece Abdeljalil Bakri ([email protected]), Morocco Yoav Gazit ([email protected]), Israel Brian Barnes ([email protected]), South Africa Mariangela Bonizzoni ([email protected]), Italy Massimo Cristofaro ([email protected]), Italy Slawomir Lux ([email protected]), Kenya David Nestel ([email protected]), Israel Rui Pereira ([email protected]), Portugal

Serge Quilici ([email protected]), France

NEWSLETTER EDITOR

Nikos Kouloussis ([email protected])

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