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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

In this study, the association between Neosilba batesi (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) and avocado fruits (Persea americana L.) was investigated. Fruits showing signs of rot and infested with Diptera larvae were collected from commercial orchards in the states of Michoacán and Jalisco, Mexico. N. batesi was identified in association with fruits from both trees and the ground at all sampling sites. Furthermore, a phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene supported the morphological identification, showing >99% identity with records from Veracruz, and revealed distinct genetic lineages within the Neosilba genus. In a study within one Michoacán orchard, infested tree-borne fruits averaged 5.40 cm in length and 3.90 cm in width, with a mean of 9.61 larvae emerging per fruit. Females were observed to lay eggs in openings between the pedicel and the fruit, never piercing the exocarp. In contrast, on fallen fruit, they utilized existing wounds with exposed pulp. Infested avocados exhibit characteristic spots indicating the presence of internal larvae and generally detach from the tree. Larvae can feed on avocados in various stages of decomposition and may either emerge through wounds or pupate within the fruit. These findings support the opportunistic and saprophagous behavior associated with this fly species.

Details

Title
Neosilba batesi Curran (Diptera: Lonchaeidae): Identification, Distribution, and Its Relationship with Avocado Fruits
Author
Lemus-Soriano, Braulio Alberto 1 ; Morales-Galván, Oscar 2 ; García-Gallegos, David 1 ; García-Banderas Diana Vely 3 ; Kassem Mona 4 ; Illescas-Riquelme, Carlos Patricio 5 

 Facultad de Agrobiología Presidente Juárez, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Uruapan 60170, Michoacán, Mexico; [email protected] (B.A.L.-S.); [email protected] (D.G.-G.) 
 Departamento de Parasitología, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Texcoco 56230, Estado de Mexico, Mexico; [email protected] 
 Comité Estatal de Sanidad Vegetal de Michoacán, Uruapan 60000, Michoacán, Mexico; [email protected] 
 Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada, Departamento de Biociencias y Agrotecnología, Saltillo 25294, Coahuila, Mexico; [email protected] 
 Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada, Departamento de Biociencias y Agrotecnología, Saltillo 25294, Coahuila, Mexico; [email protected], Secretaria de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación, Benito Juárez 03940, Ciudad de México, Mexico 
First page
499
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
14242818
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3233140599
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.