A Survey of Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) and their Opiine Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Palau

Abstract

Surveys for fruit flies and their parasitoids, conducted by male lure trapping and host fruit sampling in 2001, 2013, and 2014, demonstrate that the agricultural pests Bactrocera dorsalis, B. frauenfeldi, and B. umbrosa and non- economic B. calophylli (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) are present and widespread in Palau. The COI gene haplotype networks and aedeagus measurements of B. dorsalis, detected in Palau in 1996, suggest that it is most likely of Philippine origin. Bactrocera occipitalis, previously reported from Palau, was not collected during these surveys, and is probably absent. Fopius arisanus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Opiinae) was reared from fruit containing parasitized larval fruit flies. Parasitism was low (3.4-11.7%), compared to Hawaii or French Polynesia, where F. arisanus has lowered populations of B. dorsalis.