First report of Drosophila suzukii in Brazil
The presence of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae – EPPO A2 List) was detected for the first time in Brazil during studies on the diversity of Drosophilidae in the subtropical Atlantic rain forest (Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states). Several samples were caught, using banana baited traps, during different times of year in 2012 and 2013. Out of 7;354 drosophilids collected, 156 specimens of D. suzukii were identified in the municipalities of Erechim, Vila Maria (both in Rio Grande do Sul), Botuverá, Nova Veneza and Osósio (all in Santa Catarina). This new record of D. suzukii in Brazil is also the first confirmed record of the pest in South America. The origin of this introduction could not be traced but it is suspected that the pest entered the South American continent with imports of infested fruit. Following this initial record, further detections were made in Rio Grande do Sul. In particular, damage was observed in 2014 on strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) crops in the municipality of Vacaria. In addition to small fruit crops, infested guavas (Psidium guajava) were found in the municipality of Morro Redondo. During another study on biodiversity conducted in an ecological reserve 35 km south of Brasilia (Distrito Federal) from December 2013 to February 2014, 2 specimens (1 male and 1 female) of D. suzukii were trapped. It is not known whether these captures are incidental or reflect the establishment of the pest in this area which is surrounded by Brazilian Savanna. Finally, additional specimens of D. suzukii (2 males and 1 female) were caught in November 2014 in a national park (Parque Nacional da Serra dos Orgãos) near Petrópolis, in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
The situation of Drosophila suzukii in Brazil can be described as follows: Present, first found in 2013 in the Southeastern part of the country.
Sources
Bitner-Mathé BC, Victorino J, Faria FS (2014) Drosophila suzukii has been found in tropical Atlantic rainforest in southeastern Brazil. Drosophila Information Service no. 97, 136-137. http://www.ou.edu/journals/dis/DIS97/DIS
Deprá M, Poppe JL, Schmitz HJ, De Toni DC, Vera L. S. Valente VLS (2014) The first records of the invasive pest Drosophila suzukii in the South American continent. Journal of Pest Science 87(3), 379-383.
Nunes AM, Hoffmann Schlesener DC, Silva de Souza D, Neumann AM, Mello Garci FR (2014) Primeiros registros de Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) em agroecossistemas na metade sul do Rio Grande do Sul. Abstract of a paper presented at the XXV Congresso Brasileiro de Entomologia (Goiânia, BR, 2014-09-14/18). http://www.cbe2014.com.br/anais/resumos/resumo-1344.pdf
Paula MA, Lopes PHS, Tidon R (2014) First record of Drosophila suzukii in the Brazilian Savanna. Drosophila Information Service no. 97, 113-115. http://www.ou.edu/journals/dis/DIS97/DIS
Santos, Silva dos RS (2014) [Drosophila susukii (Matsumura, 1931) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) attacking strawberry fruit in Brazil]. Enciclopédia Biosfera, Centro Científico Conhecer - Goiânia 10(18), 4005-4011 (in Portuguese).