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Anastrepha murrayi Norrbom

Anastrepha murrayi, wing, photo (60665 bytes)
Wing.

Recognition
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Anastrepha murrayi belongs to the daciformis species group, which differs from other species of Anastrepha in having the basal third of the scutellum brown, the male phallus extremely short (less than 0.30 mm long) and with the glans absent (as in the dentata group), and the female eversible membrane dorsobasally with a single, medially interrupted row of very stout scales. The extent of the dark brown area on the mesonotum, in combination with the mostly orange thoracic pleuron distinguishes A. murrayi from the other species of the daciformis group. Only it, A. antilliensis, and some A. stonei have the S-band complete. The female terminalia are relatively long compared to the other Antillean species of the group (see Table); in the other 3 species, the oviscape/ mesonotum length ratio is less than 1.35.

Classification and Evolutionary Relationships
Order: Diptera. Family: Tephritidae. Genus: Anastrepha. Species: murrayi. Author: Norrbom.
Relationships among the species of Anastrepha were analyzed by Norrbom et al. (1999) and McPheron et al. (1999). Click here for more detailed discussion of Anastrepha phylogeny. Anastrepha murrayi has been placed in the daciformis species group.  Norrbom (1998) analyzed the relationships among the species of the daciformis group (see Phylogeny of the Anastrepha daciformis group).  The postion of A. murrayi is unresolved, but it appears to be either the sister group to a clade including the rest of the daciformis group except A. antilliensis Norrbom, or to belong to a clade that also includes A. antilliensis, maculata Norrbom, and stonei Steyskal, that is the sister group of the rest of the daciformis group.

Names Used for this Species
Anastrepha murrayi Norrbom 1998: 185.
Click here to link to fly names database

Type data
Holotype - Female (USNM), JAMAICA: Manchester, McPhail trap, 11 Apr 1986, W. Greaves. The holotype was apparently pinned directly out of alcohol, as its head is shriveled, and its abdomen and genitalia were damaged by dissection, but most significant characters are observable.

Distribution
Anastrepha murrayi is known only from Jamaica.
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Biology
The biology of Anastrepha murrayi is poorly known.  Its host plants are unknown, although it probably attacks fruits of species of Sapotaceae like other species of the daciformis species group.

Economic Significance
Anastrepha murrayi is not considered a pest species.

Comments
This species was named for Roy Murray, who headed the survey in which the holotype was collected.

References
Key references are listed below. See fruit fly literature database for additional references.
McPheron, B. A., H.-Y. Han, J. G. Silva & A. L. Norrbom. 1999. Phylogeny of the genera Anastrepha and Toxotrypana (Trypetinae: Toxotrypanini) based upon 16S rRNA mitochondrial DNA sequences, p. 343-361. In M. Aluja & A. L. Norrbom, eds., Fruit flies (Tephritidae): Phylogeny and evolution of behavior. CRC Press, Boca Raton. [16] + 944 p. [phylogeny]
Norrbom, A. L. 1998. A revision of the Anastrepha daciformis species group (Diptera: Tephritidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 100: 160-192. [p. 185, description]
Norrbom, A. L., R. A. Zucchi & V. Hernández-Ortiz. 1999. Phylogeny of the genera Anastrepha and Toxotrypana (Trypetinae: Toxotrypanini) based on morphology, p. 299-342. In M. Aluja & A. L. Norrbom, eds., Fruit flies (Tephritidae): Phylogeny and evolution of behavior. CRC Press, Boca Raton. [16] + 944 p. [classification & phylogeny]


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Content by Allen L. Norrbom. Last Updated: February 1, 2003.