Records of fruit files(Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae: Dacini) in a selected mango (Mangifera indica L.)(Kautha Kollomban) cultivation in Ambalanthota, Sri Lanka.

Abstract

Fn1lr flies are one of the widely dlstrlbuted Insect pests and rhey mostly damage economically Important fruits and vegetables In the tropical region. However. there are no recently published reports of fruit fly assemblages associated with conunerclal fruit plantations In Srt Lanka. Hence. the present study aimed to investigate the abundance and d.lversll)' of fruit files arcracted to the methyl-eugenol tleld rraps In a selected mango cultivation ("Kan11ha kollomban· vartecy) In Ambalanthota Srt Lanka. Six fruit fly traps (5 cm diameter. 10 cm height two cirrnlar openinglmm radius and a methyl-eugenol coated sponge) were bun: (1.5· 4 m above the ground level and 20111 inter-trap dlsrance) In six mango trees which were located In die middle of each randomly selected slx sampling plots (400111') in die cultivation (0.54 ha). Trapped flies were collected twice a month from October to December 2021 (during the fruiting season) replacing new traps In each sampling round. Collected samples were ldentlfled using s tandard taxonomic keys by observing wider the light microscope (Nlkon-ECLIPSE-ElOO) ( 10•4). Two Indices: Simpson Population Dominance lnde.~ and the Abundance Index were calatlated The variation or species abw1dance was compared using one-way ANOVA test. Seven fruit fly species: Baccrocera dorsalls (Hendel). R kandlansts (Drew and Hancock). B. correaa (Be-zzl). B. /arlfrons (Hendel), B. cubercr,lara (Bezzl), B, ntgrofemoralts (White and Tsuruta) and B. cacumfnaca (Hering) were recorded In this smdy. Out or the total 803 specimens examined, B. dorsalis had a slgnltlcanrly higher abundance ( 412, 51.31 %) (P<0.05) dian other species, and B. cacumlnaca had the lowest abmtdance (26. 3.24%). The highest Simpson Dominance Index (0.26) 1vas recorded for B. dorsolls while other recorded slx fruit fly species were less dominant In the selected mango cultivation. Smdy tlndlngs will be Important for fruit cultivators to design and Implement fruit fly control measures.