New Distributional Record of Dacus persicus (Diptera: Tephritidae), A Biocontrol Agent of Calotropis Procera (Apocynaceae), from Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan

Authors

Muhammad Adnan Bodlah, Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, PakistanFollow
Imran Bodlah, Department of Entomology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, PakistanFollow
Aleena Kanwal, Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, PakistanFollow
Alishbah Mohsin, Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, PakistanFollow
Ayesha Younas, Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, PakistanFollow
Muhammad Tariq Siddique, Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, PakistanFollow
Hafiz Muhammad Zia Ullah Ghazali, Oilseeds Research Station Khanpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, PakistanFollow
Muhammad Salman Yousafzai, Pakistan Forest Institute Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PakistanFollow

Abstract

The tephritid species Dacus persicus Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae) exhibits strict host specificity to Calotropis species and is known as a destructive seed feeder of Calotropis procera. During field surveys, D. persicus larval stages were obtained from infested fruits of C. procera whereas adults were collected through sweep net sampling. This study documents the occurrence of D. persicus from southern district of Punjab, thereby extending its known distribution within the province beyond previous records from northern Punjab. Adult’s specimens were reared from field collected fruits and net-sweeping. Adults were identified based on detailed morphological examination of external characters and female ovipositor structures, following standard taxonomic keys. Diagnostic features of both sexes are illustrated and described to facilitate accurate identification. The strict host association observed in the study confirms the monophagous nature of D. persicus from Pakistan and provides baseline information for future studies on its distribution, ecology, and potential role in the biological regulation of C. procera.

Article History

Received: Dec 21, 2025; Accepted: Mar 7, 2026; Published: Mar 30, 2026

Recommended Citation

Bodlah, M., Bodlah, I., Kanwal, A., Mohsin, A., Younas, A., Siddique, M., Ghazali, H., & Yousafzai, M. (2026). New Distributional Record of Dacus persicus (Diptera: Tephritidae), A Biocontrol Agent of Calotropis Procera (Apocynaceae), from Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan, Journal of Bioresource Management, 13 (1).