Biology of Pseudacteon Decapitating Flies (Diptera: Phoridae) That Parasitize Ants of the Solenopsis saevissima Complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in South America

Abstract

Pseudacteon flies (Diptera: Phoridae) parasitize individual ant workers, causing decapitation of the host during pupariation. Phorid flies that attack South American fire ants in the Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) complex are distributed across a wide range of habitats and climates associated with the geographical range of their hosts. Sympatric species sharing the same hosts often partition niche resources by season, active time of day, host size, and/or different host activities. They have the potential of being used for biological control of the imported fire ants in North America, Australia, and Asia.

Keywords: Solenopsis invicta; natural enemies; parasitoid; phorid; red imported fire ant; social insect.

Figure 1

Decaptating phorid flies with specialized ovipositors and their parasitic life cycle. (A) Pseudacteon curvatus female; (B) Pseudacteon nocens female; (C) Pseudacteon obtusus female; (D) Female Pseudacteon litoralis fly preparing to inject an egg into the thorax of a fire ant worker; (E) Fire ant worker decapitated by a fly maggot just prior to pupariation; (F) A P. litoralis male fly emerging from the head capsule of a parasitized fire ant worker.