Parasitoids of Fruit-Infesting Tephritidae

Psyttalia phaeostigma (Wilkinson, 1927)

For additional information, see the Psyttalia page and Wharton (2009).

Originally described as Opius phaeostigma by Wilkinson (1927) and later placed by Fischer (1987) in the subgenus Psyttalia.
Psyttalia was subsequently elevated to generic rank by Wharton (1987). The combination Psyttalia phaeostigma (Wilkinson, 1927) was first used by Wharton (1989).

Introduced to both Hawaii and Mauritius; released but not recovered.

Native

Africa (Greathead, D. J. 1971.; Clausen, C. P. 1978.)

Cameroon (Clausen, C. P.; Clancy, D. W.; Chock, Q. C. 1965.; Papp, J. 1985.; Gilstrap, F. E. and Hart, W. G. 1987.)

Congo (Clausen, C. P.; Clancy, D. W.; Chock, Q. C. 1965.; Gilstrap, F. E. and Hart, W. G. 1987.)

Reunion (. 0.)

Kenya (Clausen, C. P.; Clancy, D. W.; Chock, Q. C. 1965.; Papp, J. 1985.; Gilstrap, F. E. and Hart, W. G. 1987.)

Mauritius (Cameron, E. 1941.; Thompson, W. R. 1953.; Blunck, H. 1953.)

Nigeria (Quicke, D. L. J.; van Achterberg, K.; Godfray, H. C. J. 1997.)

South Africa (Cameron, E. 1941.; Munro, H. K. 1932.; Thompson, W. R. 1953.; Papp, J. 1985.; Narayanan, E. S. and Chawla, S. S. 1962.)

Natal (Wilkinson, D. S. 1927.; Fischer, M. 1963.; Narayanan, E. S. and Chawla, S. S. 1962.)

Introduced

Hawaii (. 0.)

Psyttalia phaeostigma has been reared from Dacus ciliatus infesting cucurbits in Kenya and South Africa, and Dacus demmerezi (Bezzi) in Mauritius. See summary in Wharton and Gilstrap (1983). It was originally described from Durban, South Africa, reared from Diptera, “probably” tephritid, pupae.