Bactrocera (Gymnodacus) mesomelas (Bezzi)

White, Ian M. & Goodger, Kim F. M., 2009, African Dacus (Diptera: Tephritidae); New Species and Data, with Particular Reference to the Tel Aviv University Collection, Zootaxa 2127, pp. 1-49 : 46

Bactrocera (Gymnodacus) mesomelas (Bezzi)

Dacus mesomelas Bezzi, 1908a: 386 Other synonyms: White (2006: 144)

Material. CAMEROON: 1 male, Bafoussam, 28.vii.1982, ex Psidium guajava, G.J. Steck ( TAU); 2 male, 3 female, Essé, 23.ix.2004, ex Psidium guajava, F.X. Ndzana Abanda ( MRAC).

Remarks. White (2006) reported examining a long series of reared specimens from Democratic Republic of Congo (1935), labelled “Fruits de Perinari”, which was assumed to be a misspelling of Parinari , a genus of Chrysobalanaceae . This genus also lends its name to a widespread African forest vegetation type (e.g. Karlowski 2006) and the specimens may therefore have been reared from an unidentified fruit in “ Parinari forest”, assuming such a vegetation type was recognised in 1935. White (2006) also examined a very badly damaged teneral male that was apparently reared from guava ( Psidium guajava , Myrtaceae ) in Cameroon in 1982 but disregarded the host data on the assumption it represented a labelling error (data given on CD only). Further specimens have now been reared from guava in Cameroon thus confirming guava as a true host; the association with Parinari should now be regarded as doubtful.