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Anastrepha Schiner

Recognition
Most species of Anastrepha can be easily distinguished from other Tephritidae by the strongly anteriorly curved apex of vein M, which in most species meets the costa without a distinct angle.  In a few species, the curve is not as strong, althougth the distal half of the last section of M is always curved anteriorly.   There is overlap in this character with Toxotrypana, which differs in having many of the thoracic setae (postpronotal, presutural supra-alar, dorsocentral, acrostichal and scutellar setae) reduced or absent, the scutum with a median longitudinal furrow, and the abdomen petiolate. Additional useful diagnostic characters for Anastrepha include: Ocellar seta short and weak (except in A. tripunctata); dorsocentral seta much closer to level of postalar seta than to level of postsutural supra-alar seta; wing usually with pattern including C-, S-, and V-bands, although some species have parts of these bands reduced or fused, and others have a wasp mimic pattern, with only a complete costal band and a streak in the cubital cells; lateral surstylus short (less than height of epandrium), usually flattened; glans with basal membranous lobe with minute spicules (except in spp. of dentata and daciformis groups, which lack glans); oviscape tube-shaped, often elongate, basally with flangelike lateral lobe; eversible membrane enlarged basally, this area dorsally with enlarged, toothlike scales; aculeus long and slender, well sclerotized; 3 spermathecae.

Description
Body yellow orange to dark brown.

Head: Higher than long (except in A. tripunctata), usually yellow to orange except for brown ocellar tubercle, but vertex, gena, or occiput sometimes with brown markings, and face rarely with brown or white areas. Frons setulose medially, with 2-7 inclinate frontal setae, 1-2 reclinate orbital setae, medial and lateral vertical setae, 1 (pair) parallel postocellar, and usually at least 1 small paravertical. Ocellar seta short and much weaker than anterior orbital seta (except well developed in A. tripunctata). Postocular setae slender, unicolorous. Face with carina usually well developed, occasionally weak, in laterall view usually straight or concave, but occasionally convex (strongly produced medially or dorsally). Antenna short to slightly elongate, usually not extending beyond ventral facial margin; first flagellomere not pointed dorsoapically; arista short pubescent, 1.3-1.5 times as long as frons.

Thorax: Mostly yellow orange to dark brown, rarely with dark brown markings; the following areas white or pale yellow, although often not strongly contrasted with darker areas in pale-colored species: postpronotal lobe; dorsal margin of anepisternum; postsutural sublateral vitta from transverse suture to intra-alar seta; usually an unpaired medial vitta, often expanding posteriorly; sometimes a presutural dorsocentral vitta or a presutural lateral vitta (from corner of postpronotal lobe to posterior part of notopleuron); and sometimes apical part of scutellum. Mesonotum completely microtrichose to nonmicrotrichose, sometimes with pattern of bare areas. The following setae well developed: 1 postpronotal, 2 notopleural, 1 presutural and 1 postsutural supra-alar, 1 intra-alar, 1 postalar, 1 dorsocentral, 2 scutellar, and 1-2 anepisternal; acrostichal seta rarely absent; anepimeral seta rarely weak or absent (A. atrox); katepisternal seta often weak or absent; dorsocentral seta much closer to level of postalar seta than to level of postsutural supra-alar seta. Scutum, anepisternum and disk of scutellum setulose. 

Wing: Occasionally with wasp mimicry pattern with only a complete costal band and a streak in the cubital cells, or rarely with a diffuse pattern, but most species with pattern including 3 bands: a short costal band, or "C-band", ending at the apex of vein R1; an "S-band" formed from a strongly oblique radial-medial band and an anterior apical band, which runs from cell bcu, diagonally across crossvein R-M to join the costa in the apical part of cell r1, and then follows the edge of the wing to the wing apex; and a "V-band", including a subapical band (the "proximal arm" of the V-band), which covers crossvein DM-Cu, and a posterior apical band (the "distal arm"), which crosses cell m, often fusing with the proximal arm in cell r4+5; the C- and S-bands are often connected along vein R4+5, but there is usually a hyaline mark in the radial cells distal to the apex of vein R1, and the S- and V-bands are often connected in cell r2+3. Vein R4+5 setulose dorsally to beyond R-M. Vein M with distal half of the last section curved anteriorly, apex usually strongly curved and meeting costa without distinct angle. Cell bcu with large posteroapical lobe, 2/5 - 1/2 length of basal part of cell. Wing mostly microtrichose, alula, basal cells and hyaline areas adjoining them often partially bare.

Wings, A. fernandezi Caraballo, A. normalis Norrbom.

Abdomen: Not petiolate.

Male terminalia: Lateral surstylus short (less than height of epandrium), usually flattened. Medial surstylus short, with 2 well developed prensisetae. Hypandrium apically with laterally compressed hypandrial apodeme. Lateral sclerite long and slender, not connected to hypandrium basally. Phallus elongate, usually 1.25-1.50 times length of oviscape in female; reduced in dentata and daciformis groups. Glans lacking in spp. of dentata and daciformis groups, in other species elongate, weakly sclerotized, with basal membranous minutely spiculose lobe, and with subapical lobe T-shaped and sclerotized.

Female terminalia: Oviscape tube-shaped, often elongate, basally with flangelike lateral lobe. Eversible membrane enlarged basally, this area dorsally with enlarged, usually toothlike scales. Aculeus long and slender, well sclerotized; tip serrate or entire, without large seta-like sensilla (usually with numerous minute and 3 slightly larger sensilla, but none project beyond lateral margin of aculeus). 3 spermathecae.