MELON FLY (Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett))
HOST LIST
HOST PLANTS: Over
125 species of hosts have been recorded for this species, based on extensive host surveys
in Asia and Hawai'i. Plants in the family Cucurbitaceae are, however, the usual hosts. In
southeast Asia, it has been reared from 42 host species, in 26 genera and 12
families (Allwood et al, 1999).
Nine species of cucurbit hosts have been recorded in the Pacific. There are numerous
records from other plant families, many requiring confirmation. Some of the non-cucurbit
hosts recorded in Asia and Hawaii include, among others, beans (Vigna unguiculata
and Phaseolus vulgaris) and papaya (Carica papaya). Host
species recorded in surveys in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Nauru and Northern
Marianas Islands (published in Wong et al, 1989) are:
|
Plant
families |
Plant species |
Common names |
Solomon
Islands |
PNG |
Marianas |
Nauru |
CUCURBITACEAE |
Citrullus lanatus |
Watermelon |
X |
X |
X |
- |
CUCURBITACEAE |
Coccinia
grandis |
Ivy gourd |
X |
- |
- |
- |
CUCURBITACEAE |
Cucumis melo |
Cantaloupe |
- |
X |
X |
- |
CUCURBITACEAE |
Cucumis melo |
Honeydew
melon |
- |
X |
- |
- |
CUCURBITACEAE |
Cucumis melo |
Rockmelon |
- |
X |
- |
- |
CUCURBITACEAE |
Cucumis sativus |
Cucumber |
X |
X |
X |
- |
CUCURBITACEAE |
Cucurbita pepo |
Pumpkin |
X |
X |
X |
- |
CUCURBITACEAE |
Luffa acutangula |
Angled luffa |
- |
- |
- |
X |
| CUCURBITACEAE |
Luffa
cylindrica |
Luffa |
- |
X |
- |
- |
CUCURBITACEAE |
Momordica charantia |
Bitter gourd |
X |
X |
X |
- |
CUCURBITACEAE |
Trichosanthes cucumerina |
Snake gourd |
X |
- |
- |
- |
MALVACEAE |
Hibiscus esculentus |
Okra |
- |
- |
X
(?) |
- |
SOLANACEAE |
Lycopersicon esculentum |
Tomato |
- |
- |
X |
- |
Publication sources for host records:
Allwood,
A.J., Chinajariyawong, A., Drew,
R.A.I., Hamacek, E.L., Hancock, D.L., Hengsawad, C., Jinapin, J.C., Jirasurat,
M., Kong Krong, C., Kritsaneepaiboon, S., Leong, C.T.S., and S. Vijaysegaran.
1999. Host plant records for fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in South-East
Asia. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Supplement 7. 92 pp. (Complete
host list in Asia).
Allwood, A.J., and
Drew, R.A I., 1997. Management of fruit flies in
the Pacific. ACIAR Proceedings No 76. 267pp.
Drew, R.A.I. 1989.The tropical fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) of the
Australasian and Oceanian regions. Memoirs of the Queensland
Museum. Volume 26. 521 pp.
Leblanc, L. 2000. Fruit flies in Solomon Islands.
SPC Pest Advisory Leaflet No. 30. 4pp.
Waterhouse, D.F. 1993. Biological control. Pacific
Prospects. Supplement 2. ACIAR Canberra. vii+138pp.
Wong, T.Y., Cunningham, R.T.,
McInnis, D.O.,
Gilmore, J.E. 1989. Spatial distribution and abundance of Dacus
cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands. Environmental Entomology. 18: 1079-1082.
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