Discrimination between the immature stages of Ceratitis capitata and Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera:Tephritidae) populations by random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction.

A random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction method using 10-base long commercial random primers was used to identify polymorphisms in Argentine populations of 2 fruit fly pests. A fast and reliable discrimination between Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), and Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) immature or mature stages was obtained using as few as 1 insect per assay. The population of origin of immature individuals can be identified unambiguously using 2 primers.