Improving Decision‐Making in the Identification of Tephritidae Larvae at Import in the European Union and Key to Third Instar Larvae

ABSTRACT The Tephritidae family, or true fruit flies, comprises approximately 250 species recognized as economically significant due to their capacity to infest commercial fruits. These pests pose serious threats to both food security and trade, and are considered quarantine pests in areas where they are not yet established. In the European Union (EU), regulatory changes in 2021 and 2024 introduced a targeted list of 78 quarantine Tephritidae taxa, requiring precise identification of intercepted larvae during import inspections. To date, traditional morphological identification methods have been facing limitations due to (1) the lack of described larval features for many species and (2) the difficulty of access to specialized equipment, like scanning electron microscopes. To address these limitations, the European Union Reference Laboratory for Insects and Mites (EURL I&M) has developed a simplified morphological identification key for the most frequently intercepted Tephritidae larvae in the EU. To do so, interception data and fruit fly specimens across the EU were collected and analysed. A literature review was performed to allow for comparison between the morphological data obtained in this study and publicly available information. The key is intended to assist National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) and diagnostic laboratories in performing rapid and reliable identifications during import inspections, thus improving phytosanitary decision‐making and regulatory compliance.