Review paper
Biology, ecology and invasiveness of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata: a review
Giunti, Giulia; Benelli, Giovanni; Campolo, Orlando; Canale, Angelo; Kapranas, Apostolos; Liedo, Pablo; De Meyer, Marc; Nestel, David; Ruiu, Luca; Scolari, Francesca; Wang, Xingeng; Papadopoulos, Nikos T.
Entomologia Generalis Volume 43 Number 6 (2023), p. 1221 - 1239
1 references
published: Dec 11, 2023
published online: Dec 11, 2023
manuscript accepted: Oct 26, 2023
final revised version received: Oct 2, 2023
manuscript revision requested: Aug 30, 2023
manuscript received: May 29, 2023
DOI: 10.1127/entomologia/2023/2135
Open Access (paper may be downloaded free of charge)
Abstract
The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata, is a highly polyphagous pest that is economically important for fruit production in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. It is considered a cosmopolitan pest due to its extreme invasiveness and has established populations in all continents except Antarctica. The medfly’s broad range of host plants and distinctive biological, behavioral, and genetic traits help it easily adapt to and colonize novel environments. This review provides an overview of the specific characteristics of this species and its current distribution and invasiveness. It also outlines future challenges for medfly bioecology and invasiveness.
Keywords
medfly • biological invasion • chemical ecology • frugivorous pest • invasive species • morphology • pheromone • systematics • Tephritidae • true fruit flies