''Euaresta'' is a genus of
flies in the family
Tephritidae that live in plants of the closely related genera ''
Ambrosia
In the ancient Greek myths, ''ambrosia'' (, grc, ἀμβροσία 'immortality'), the food or drink of the Greek gods, is often depicted as conferring longevity or immortality upon whoever consumed it. It was brought to the gods in Olympus ...
'', ''
Xanthium
''Xanthium'' (cocklebur) is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Heliantheae within the family Asteraceae, native to the Americas and eastern Asia and some parts of south Asia .
Description
Cockleburs are coarse, herbaceous annual plants ...
'', and ''
Dicoria'', and feed on their flowers and seeds.
The 15 species of ''Euaresta'' are
endemic to
the Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America, North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. ...
, eight being native to
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
and seven to
South America. Only one specimen has been collected in
Central America (''
E. toba'' in
El Salvador
El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south b ...
), and one or two species occur in the
Antilles.
''Euaresta bullans'' has been introduced, perhaps accidentally, from South America to
California and
Arizona,
southern Europe, the
Middle East,
South Africa and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, where it attacks spiny cocklebur (''
Xanthium spinosum
''Xanthium spinosum'' (also known as ''Acanthoxanthium spinosum'') is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by many common names, including spiny cocklebur, prickly burweed and Bathurst burr. This species is part of the genus '' ...
''). ''
E. aequalis'' has been introduced to
Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
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.
Species
Fifteen species are recognised in the genus ''Euaresta'':
;North America
*''
E. aequalis''
( Loew, 1862)
*''
E. bella''
( Loew, 1862)
*''
E. bellula''
Snow, 1894
*''
E. festiva''
( Loew, 1862)
*''
E. jonesi''
(Curran
Curran may refer to:
People
* Curran (surname)
* Curran Oi (born 1990), an American figure skater
Material
* Curran (material)
Places
*Curran, community in Alfred and Plantagenet, Ontario, Canada
;Northern Ireland
* Curran, County Londonderry ...
, 1932)
*''
E. stelligera''
(Coquillett
Daniel William Coquillett (23 January 1856, Pleasant Valley, Ill. – 7 July 1911 Atlantic City, New Jersey) was an American entomologist who specialised in Diptera. He wrote a revision of the dipterous family Therevidae and many other scientifi ...
, 1894)
*''
E. stigmatica''
Coquillett
Daniel William Coquillett (23 January 1856, Pleasant Valley, Ill. – 7 July 1911 Atlantic City, New Jersey) was an American entomologist who specialised in Diptera. He wrote a revision of the dipterous family Therevidae and many other scientifi ...
, 1902
*''
E. tapetis''
(Coquillett
Daniel William Coquillett (23 January 1856, Pleasant Valley, Ill. – 7 July 1911 Atlantic City, New Jersey) was an American entomologist who specialised in Diptera. He wrote a revision of the dipterous family Therevidae and many other scientifi ...
, 1894)
;South America
*''
E. bullans''
(Wiedemann Wiedemann is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Barbara Wiedemann (born 1945), American poet
* Christian Rudolph Wilhelm Wiedemann (1770–1840), German physician, historian, naturalist
*Elisabeth Wiedemann (1926-2015), Ger ...
, 1830)
*''
E. meridionalis''
Aczél, 1952
*''
E. philodema''
(Hendel Hendel is a surname, and may refer to:
* Frank B. Hendel (1892–1973), New York politician
* Friedrich Georg Hendel (1874–1936), Austrian high school director and entomologist mainly interested in Diptera
* Geerd Hendel (1903–1998), naval a ...
, 1914)
*''
E. regularis''
Norrbom, 1993
*''
E. reticulata''
(Hendel Hendel is a surname, and may refer to:
* Frank B. Hendel (1892–1973), New York politician
* Friedrich Georg Hendel (1874–1936), Austrian high school director and entomologist mainly interested in Diptera
* Geerd Hendel (1903–1998), naval a ...
, 1914)
*''
E. toba''
(Lindner Lindner is a German surname, which may refer to:
* Lindner family, American business family based in Cincinnati, Ohio
* Lindner (agricultural machinery manufacturer), Austrian family company
* Arlon Lindner (1935–2021), American businessman and p ...
, 1928)
*''
E. versicolor''
Norrbom, 1993
References
External links
Key to species of ''Euaresta''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q14409218
Tephritinae
Diptera of North America
Diptera of South America
Tephritidae genera
Taxa named by Hermann Loew