Taxonomic Associations: Host vs. Fruit Fly

Fruit flies (Diptera Tephritidae) are invasive and detrimental for the production of fruits and vegetable crops round the globe. In the present study 163 species of fruit fly were randomly selected having maximum subgenera. Out of these, 159 belonged to tribe Dacini and 4 to tribe Trypetini.53.37 % fruit flies were feeding on plants of single family and rest on 2 or more than 2 families. Maximum number of fruit flies exploited plants from Cucurbitaceae (23) as a single host family followed by Asclepiadaceae (10) and Anacardiaceae (6). Highest number of fruit fly species was recorded on Cucurbitaceae (48) as host family and closely followed by Anacardiaceae (46), Myrtaceae (46) and Rutaceae (45). Plant taxonomic associations revealed that, in general, 84.52 % families and 80.65 % orders fall in dicotyledons, and 13.18 % families & 16.13 % orders in monocotyledons. Among dicotyledons, greater preference was observed for host families comprised of fundamentally woody plants (lignosae) than those are basically herbaceous in nature (herbaceae). In lignosae fruit flies invaded plants from 75.93 % orders from very primitive (Annonales, Laurales, Dilleniales) to most advanced (Verbenales) orders, again indicating their preference to woody plants. Genus Bactrocera is a rich genus with several subgenera and groups and contains numerous host families. Preference of Dacus to host families was found towards Cucurbitaceae, Asclepiadaceae and Apocynaceae. Three species of Carpomya were exclusively associated with host family Rhamnaceae and one with Rosaceae. Phylogenetic study of Bactrocera (Bactrocera) tryoni revealed that host families follow the host orders on evolutionary lineage.