ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to assess the diversity of fruit-fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the Baixo Jaguaribe region, state of Ceará, Brazil. The collections of the fruit flies were made from October/2002 to December/2003, with McPhail traps and 5% hydrolyzed corn protein (food bait). The traps were set up in host trees of the fruit flies: guava Psidium guajava, mango Mangiferaindica, red-coat plum Spondias purpurea, West Indian cherry Malpighiaemarginata, star fruit Avherroa carambola, papaya Caricapapaya and melon Cucumis melo. In the laboratory, the fruit flies captured were separated from other insects, counted and preserved in 70% alcohol, and then identified by species. The species collected were: Anastrepha zenildae Zucchi (74.59%), Anastrepha sororcula Zucchi (13.87%), Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (1.08%), Anastrepha daciformis Bezzi (0.09%), Anastrepha consobrina (Loew) (0.09%), Anastrepha pickeli Lima (0.09%) and Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) (10.19%).
KEY WORDS
Insect; biodiversity; fruit trees; free area; semi-arid