ABSTRACT
Host plant relationships in the genus Anastrepha are poorly known. The genus Passiflora has been reported as hosts of the larvae of two species groups of Anastrepha (chiclayae and pseudoparallela). Passiflora species are widely distributed throughout tropical America. This chapter provides some observations of larval feeding behavior and population genetic variability of Anastrepha pseudoparallela. The mature female of A. pseudoparallela lays eggs in unripe fruits of P. alata, and the larvae develop by feeding on the inner structures of the fruit, including embryos and seeds. The presence of only one alcohol dehydrogenase locus in A. pseudoparallela could be associated with the kind of resources utilized in larval development. Close association with host plants can be found in the species group pseudoparallela. The knowledge of host association in Anastrepha species is fundamental for the establishment of the pattern of evolution in this genus.
