Importance of seed-feeding, gall-inducing, and damages of Tephritid flies (Dip.: Tephritidae) on Asteraceae rangeland plants

Tephritidae, with about 4500 known species, is one of the largest families of Diptera, identified in various habitats all around the world. The larvae of some species of this family feed on fruit flesh and are considered as important pests of agricultural products. Most species are phytophagous and the larvae, by consuming the seeds of Asteraceae plants and inducing galls in flowerheads, prevent the production of healthy seeds and consequently cause failure in rangeland seeding programs. The Asteraceae family is one of the largest plant families of the angiosperms and has significant environmental and economic importance. It is found in most habitats abundantly, both polar and tropical regions. About 10% of native plants in each region belong to this family. In total, 150 species of these flies were identified in Iran, of which about 15 species are pests on fruit trees and vegetable crops and the others feed on Asteraceae plants. In the present study, 111 species, belonging to 29 genera, and two subfamilies of this family were collected by insect-netting and aspirator and identified. Also, 50 host plant species of 19 genera were identified in the herbarium. Therefore, this research was conducted due to the importance of these plants in rangelands, as a resource for livestock fodder, prevention of soil erosion as well as the importance of seed-feeding behavior and gall-inducing by flies, which reduce the distribution of the Asteraceae species in rangelands.