Melanic morphs of Bactrocera dorsalis possess distinct developmental time, weight, and wing size and shape

Abstract

The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is one of the most important horticultural pests, comprising nearly 100 morphologically similar taxa present in at least 75 countries (Drew & Romig, 2013;Zeng et al., 2019). They are characteristically invasive and polyphagous, with a broad host range and therefore widely distributed (USDA-APHIS, 2016; CABI, 2020). Originally, B. dorsalis was endemic to the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, from where it is believed to have spread to other parts of the world (Wan et al., 2012). In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), it was first detected in Kenya in 2003, rapidly spreading into East and West Africa, as well as centralsouthern parts of Africa within a short period (Lux