South American fruit fly

Appearance

''Anastrepha fraterculus'' is a small fruit fly. Its body colouration varies, from orange, to brown and yellow. They have six jointed legs attached to their thorax and one set of membranous wings with yellow and brown bands also attached at their thorax. Attached to their head is a pair of antennae. The antennae have three segments: the scape, the pedicel, and the flagellum. An arista is also located at the dorsal side and proximal end of the flagellum. They have six types of sensilla based on shape, located along their antennae. These sensilla are used for chemoreception. The female ''A. fraterculus'' have a modified ovipositor called an aculeus. The aculeus is near the cloacal opening, and it is conical in shape with serrations near the apex.

Distribution

The ''Anastrepha fraterculus'' species is native to South America and is distributed throughout the southern United States , Mexico, Central America, Caribbean Islands, and South America.

Behavior

''Anastrepha fraterculus'' have a four-stage life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The females lay their eggs in fruit, where the larvae develop until they reach adulthood and leave the fruit to mate. Their eggs are white, elongated, and curved. The chorion has extensions that are shorter near the anterior end of the egg and bluntly rounded at the posterior end of the egg. The larvae ingest the forced-out yolk masses near the anterior end of the egg and then emerge near the posterior end of the egg. The larvae molt three times before reaching maturity: the first instar occurs from 1-3 days old, the second instar from 4-6 days old, and the third instar from 7-12 days old. The larvae's third instar has some defining characteristics to help distinguish it from other species in the ''Anastrepha'' genus: the third instar is greater than 6.0 mm in length and 1.0 mm in diameter, their mandibles don't have a subapical tooth, they have 7-11 oral ridges, the abdominal segments lack dorsal spinules, and the anterior spiracle has 9-14 tubules. After the final molt, the larva enters the pupa stage. The pupa is an inert, sessile stage. The pupa is cylindrical and 4.5-60 mm in length and 2-2.5 mm in diameter. The pupae's colouration is yellow-tinged with brown and then turns reddish-yellow or dark brown. After pupating, the adult fly splits open the pupal case and exits, then leaves the fruit to continue the cycle.