Euaresta
| Euaresta | |
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| Euaresta aequalis | |
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| Genus: | Euaresta Loew, 1873
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| Type species | |
| Trypeta festiva Loew, 1873
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Euaresta is a genus of flies in the family Tephritidae that live in plants of the closely related genera Ambrosia, Xanthium and Dicoria, and feed on their flowers and seeds.[1]
The fifteen species of Euaresta are endemic to the Americas, eight being native to North America and seven to South America. Only one specimen has been collected in Central America (E. toba in El Salvador), and one or two species occur in the Antilles.[1]
Euaresta bullans has been introduced, perhaps accidentally, from South America to California and Arizona, southern Europe, the Middle East, South Africa and Australia, where it attacks spiny cocklebur (Xanthium spinosum). E. aequalis has been introduced to Fiji and Australia, to act as a biological control agent of common cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium). E. bella was released in Europe to control ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), but did not become established there.[1]
Species
Fifteen species are recognised in the genus Euaresta:[1]
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External links
References
- ^ a b c d Allen L. Norrbom (January 26, 2001). "Euaresta Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae)". The Diptera Site. Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved July 31, 2010.