Abstract

DE MEYER, Marc et al. A checklist of the Dacinae (Diptera: Tephritidae) of South Africa. AE [online]. 2026, vol.34, pp.1-13. ISSN 2224-8854.  https://doi.org/10.17159/2254-8854/2026/a24629.

South Africa has a diverse assemblage of true fruit flies in the subfamily Dacinae (Diptera: Tephritidae). Amongst its members are species with significant agricultural and ecological importance, yet this is the first comprehensive checklist available for this group in South Africa. This account was compiled using verified specimen lists, which are maintained by the Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA) database and includes material from 30 global museum collections. To supplement the database and obtain detailed information on pest status, distribution and known host plant records, additional literature records were sourced. In total, 105 species belonging to ten genera are documented. Of the species recorded, several include key pests of cultivated fruit and vegetables in South Africa, while most are non-pest species restricted to native host plants. In addition to known pest status and host range within South Africa, the observed distribution patterns on a continental and national scale, and the known attractants used for trapping fruit fly specimens are also briefly reported. This resource combines information into a single document and provides support to taxonomic, ecological and applied studies of dacine fruit flies in South Africa, as well as pest risk assessments of relevance to South Africa's fruit exports.

Keywords : distribution; diversity; surveys.

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