First record of Xanthaciura, Hendel (Diptera, Tephritidae) associate with flowers of Aristolochiaceae (Magnoliopsida, Piperales)

Resumen

Xanthaciura (Tephritidae, Tephritinae) is a Neotropical genus composed of 17 species. Currently, to Brazil are recorded eight valid species names. The members of the Tephritinae are marked by their interaction with Asteraceae, as females lay eggs in the plant, where the larvae posteriorly feed and develop on various parts of the plant as capitulum, stem, and bud. Aristolochia is the largest genus of Aristolochiaceae, currently comprising approximately 525 species widely distributed throughout the tropics. There are 92 registered species in Brazil, widely spread in all ecoregions. Several orders of insects were recorded as floral visitors of Aristolochia flowers, as Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, and Orthoptera. This study was conducted at the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (RPPN/UFMS) Campo Grande, Brazil, where are collected flowers of Aristolochia esperanze, content a total of two female of Xanthaciura chrysura. The bodies of the sampled dipterans were covered with pollen, which was aggregated on their setae and setulae, suggesting that the species might be a pollinator of A. esperanzae. As another result a table with all knows associated plants with X. chrysura is presented. This study presents the first record of X. chrysura associated with a plant family differently from Asteraceae.