Tephritid Integrative Taxonomy: Where We Are Now, with a Focus on the Resolution of Three Tropical Fruit Fly Species Complexes.
Accurate species delimitation underpins good taxonomy. Formalization of integrative taxonomy in the past decade has provided a framework for using multidisciplinary data to make species delimitation hypotheses more rigorous. We address the current state of integrative taxonomy by using as a case study an international project targeted at resolving three important tephritid species complexes: Bactrocera dorsalis complex, Anastrepha fraterculus complex, and Ceratitis FAR (C. fasciventris, C. anonae, C. rosa) complex. The integrative taxonomic approach has helped deliver significant advances in resolving these complexes: It has been used to identify some taxa as belonging to the same biological species as well as to confirm hidden cryptic diversity under a single taxonomic name. Nevertheless, the general application of integrative taxonomy has not been without issue, revealing challenges that must be considered when undertaking an integrative taxonomy project. Scrutiny of this international case study provides a unique opportunity to document lessons learned for the benefit of not only tephritid taxonomists, but also the wider taxonomic community.
School of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 4001 Queensland, Australia; email: m.schutze@qut.edu.au.
Mark K
MK
Schutze
Department of Biology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, B3080 Tervuren, Belgium.|Joint Experimental Molecular Unit, Royal Museum for Central Africa, B3080 Tervuren, Belgium ; email: massimiliano.virgilio@africamuseum.be.
Massimiliano
M
Virgilio
Systematic Entomology Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, c/o National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20560; email: allen.norrbom@ars.usda.gov.
Allen
A
Norrbom
School of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 4001 Queensland, Australia; email: m.schutze@qut.edu.au.|Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory 2617, Australia; email: a.clarke@qut.edu.au.
Anthony R
AR
Clarke
D000818:Animals; D033621:Tephritidae / Q000145:classification*
Diptera; horticultural pests; integrative taxonomy; iterative taxonomy; true fruit flies; unified species concept