Fruit flies (Diptera:Tephritidae) in the semi-arid region of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil:: Host plants and infestation indices

Fruit flies were collected in traps and also reared from fruits in the semi-arid of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, from January 1999 to December 2000. Ten fruit fly species were obtained: Anastrepha alveata Stone, A. dissimilis Stone, A. distincta Greene, A. montei Lima, A. obliqua (Macquart), A. pickeli Lima, A. sororcula Zucchi, A. zenildae Zucchi, Anastrepha sp. aff. pickeli, and Ceratitis capitata (Wied.). Seventeen out of the 41 fruit tree species sampled were infested at least by one fruit fly species. New host records are: A. sororcula from Spondias sp., A. zenildae from Spondias sp., West Indian cherry (Malpighia emarginata DC.) and kumquat (Fortunella sp.), Anastrepha sp. aff. pickeli from Manihot glaziovii Muell. and C capitata from Spondias tuberosa Arruda, Crateva tapia L. and Ziziphus joazeiro Mart. The main host plants for Anastrepha spp. were Z. joazeiro, Spondias sp. and guava (Psidium guajava L.) and for C capitata was red coat plum (Spondias purpurea L.). The most infested host plant of Anastrepha spp. was Z joazeiro (67.7 puparia/kg) and by C. capitata was kumquat [Fortunella japonica (Thunb.) (159.1 puparia/kg)].