Virgilio, M.,  Theeten, F.,  Du, S.,  Hardy, B.,  Mûelenaere, A. & De Meyer, M. 2017. ‘An updated multi-entry identification key to African fruit infesting dacines (Diptera, Tephritidae: Dacini)’. Third FAO–IAEA International Conference on Area-wide Management of Insect Pests: Integrating the Sterile Insect and Related Nuclear and Other Techniques. Book of abstracts. 299.

Conference abstract

The morphological identification of African Dacines (including representatives of widely distributed pests) relies on classical single-access (dichotomous) keys published in specialised taxonomical journals. These keys are not easy to use by the non-specialist and the identification inevitably fails whenever the user is not able to score any of the dichotomous character states (because of absence of the character or unclear description of the character state). For this reason we developed a multi-media and multi-entry identification key for African fruit-infesting Dacines that could facilitate the morphological identification by non-specialists. The multi-entry key, available on a Lucid3 platform, is a self-contained and easily accessible tool including a total of 396 African tephritid species, including exotic invasive and all taxa of economic significance. The key includes a "pre- key" for genus identification and individual keys to representatives of nine fruit fly genera in Africa (Bactrocera, Capparimyia, Carpophthoromyia, Ceratitis, Dacus, Neoceratitis, Perilampsis, Trirhithrum, Zeugodacus). Separate character sets are considered for each genus (range 11-95 characters, 22-280 character states) and images and drawings are provided for characters, character states and species. A number of filters allow selecting species by region or excluding characters of more difficult scoring. The formal species description is provided according to the published scientific literature and information regarding taxonomic status, collection specimens, geographic distribution within Africa and DNA barcoding is available through hyperlinks to Encyclopedia of Life, to the Belgian Biodiversity Platform (as Belgian portal to GBIF) and to the Barcoding of Life Database (BOLD). The key is accessible online or downloadable for offline use through the website of the Royal Museum for Central Africa (https://fruitflykeys.africamuseum.be/). Its potential as an android app is currently being considered.