Acanthiophilus helianthi (Rossi, 1794)

Knio, Khouzama M., Kalash, Sameer H. & White, Ian M., 2002, Flowerhead-infesting fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) on thistles (Asteraceae), in Lebanon, Journal of Natural History 36 (5), pp. 617-629 : 620

Acanthiophilus helianthi (Rossi, 1794)

Found at all altitudes. ex Carthamus syriacum (Boiss.) Dinsm. : 4M (male) and 3F (female), Bsharri, Bsharri Co. (North Lebanon); 2F, El Khraizat, West Beqaa Co. (Beqaa Valley); 5M and 1F, Baalbek, Baalbek Co. (Beqaa Valley). ex Carthamus tenuis (Boiss. & Bl.) Bornm. 3M and 4F, Baabda, Baabda Co. (Mount Lebanon); 4M and 9F, Ainab, Aley Co. (Mount Lebanon); 1M and 2F, Ehden, Zgharta Co. (North Lebanon); 8M and 4F, Kousba, Koura Co. (North Lebanon); 3M and 1F, Sir, Tripoli Co. (North Lebanon); 2M and 7F, Bhamdoun, Aley Co. (Mount Lebanon); 3M and 1F, Aajaltoun, Kesrouan Co. (Mount Lebanon). ex Carduus argentatus L. var. polycephalus Post : 10M and 11F, El Qalamoun, Tripoli Co. (North Lebanon). ex Centaurea calcitrapa L.: 3M and 1F, Ainab, Aley Co. (Mount Lebanon). ex Centaurea cheiracantha Fenzl : 4M and 3F, Ainab, Aley Co. (Mount Lebanon). ex Centaurea iberica Trev. ex Spreng. : 1M and 3F, Dahr el Baidar, Aley Co. (Mount Lebanon). ex Centaurea iberica var. meryonis (D.C.) Boiss.: 3M and 2F, Ainab, Aley Co. (Mount Lebanon). ex Centaurea pallescens Del. : 3M and 1F, Kefraya, West Beqaa Co. (Beqaa Valley). ex Notobasis syriaca (L.) Cass.: 10M and 4F, Khaldeh, Baabda Co. (Mount Lebanon); 3F, Saofar, Aley Co. (Mount Lebanon); 2M and 2F, Enfeh, Koura Co. (North Lebanon); 1M, Sour, Sour Co. (South Lebanon); 22M and 20F, Kfar Hazir, Koura Co. (North Lebanon); 15M and 6F, Fiaa, Koura Co. (North Lebanon); 1M and 2F, Chekka, Batroun Co. (North Lebanon); 1M, Seraal, Zgharta Co. (North Lebanon); 1F, Baalchmay, Baabda Co. (Mount Lebanon); 4M and 5F Barouk, Chouf Co. (Mount Lebanon); 4M and 6F, El Khraizat, West Beqaa Co. (Beqaa Valley). ex Onopordo n anisacanthum Boiss. : 1M and 2F, Chtaura, Zahleh Co. (Beqaa Valley). ex Onopordon illyricum L.: 2M, Bhamdoun, Aley Co. (Mount Lebanon). ex Scolymus hispanicus L.: 2M and 3F, Zahleh, Zahleh Co. (Beqaa Valley); 2M and 5F, Barouk, Chouf Co. (Mount Lebanon. ex Silybum marianum (L.).Gaertn.: 13M and 28F, Khaldeh, Baabda Co. (Mount Lebanon); 2M and 1F, Khaizarane, Saida Co. (South Lebanon); 47M and 46F, El Qalamoun, Tripoli Co. (North Lebanon); 3M and 3F, Chwaifate, Aley Co. (Mount Lebanon); 3M and 4F, Beirut, (Greater Beirut); 6M and 5F, Enfeh, Koura Co. (North Lebanon); 2M and 4F, Zahleh, Zahleh Co. (Beqaa Valley).

Acanthiophilus helianthi proved to be highly oligophagous, infesting the ¯owerheads of seven genera and 12 species of thistles. It seems to be a multivoltine species as it was found throughout the year and its hosts, which occurred at diOEerent altitudes, bloomed at diOEerent times of the year, from May to mid-September ( table 2). Acanthiophilus helianthi is widely distributed in the Mediterranean range, identity and number of fruit ¯ies reared from various Asteraceae countries, where it occurs at all altitudes and throughout the year ( Freidberg, 1974; Neuenschwander and Freidberg, 1983). White (1988) noted that this generalist species is able to attack and survive on any species of the Cardueae . It was reared from about 50 species of the Cardueae , and it is a common pest of sa‚ower ( White, 1988). The distribution of A. helianthi in Asia includes Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel and Mongolia (Al-Ali et al., 1977; Neuenschwander and Freidberg, 1983; Foote, 1984; White, 1988).