Explanation of Names
Pseudacteon Coquillett 1907
Numbers
8 spp. in our area, >20 spp. total
(1)Size
About the size of the heads of their hosts
Identification
review in
(1); key to spp. (based on ♀♀) on p. 956
Range
primarily neotropical, ranging into so. US; in our area, by far most diverse in TX (only
P. crawfordi is also known from OK & AZ)
(1)Food
some are endoparasitoids of fire ants (
Solenopsis geminata complex)
(1)Remarks
In 1997, Pseudacteon tricuspis Borgmeier was the first species of Pseudacteon fly successfully released as a biocontrol agent for imported fire ants in the U.S. (Callcott et al. 2011). Five other species, Pseudacteon curvatus Borgmeier, Pseudacteon litoralis Borgmeier, Pseudacteon obtusus Borgmeier, Pseudacteon nocens Borgmeier, and Pseudacteon cultellatus Borgmeier have since been released (Porter and Calcaterra 2013).
Internet References
USDA. Illustrated Key to
Pseudacteon Decapitating Flies that Attack
Solenopsis saevissima complex Fire Ants.
U. Florida.
Pseudacteon spp.
U. Texas. Fire Ant Project. Use of phorid flies for biocontrol
