Gary J. Steck

Taxonomic Entomologist
Curator of Diptera and Minor Orders
Phone: 352-372-3505 x 188
Fax: 352-334-0737
s-mail: PO Box 147100, Gainesville, FL 32614-7100
e-mail:steckg@doacs.state.fl.us
PhD: University of Texas

Major responsibilities include the curation and identification of Diptera and minor orders at the Florida State Collection of Arthropods; training of Florida Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture personnel, especially in fruit fly detection; oversight of the FSCA Research Associate Program. Employed at the FSCA since 1991. Associate Editor (taxonomy) for the Florida Entomologist since 1991. Primary research interests are population genetics and cryptic species complexes of the family Tephritidae. Some current projects include: (1) Development of a database of mitochondrial DNA markers among worldwide populations of Mediterranean fruit fly to determine colonization routes and population dynamics of this pest; (2) Improving capabilities for identification of fruit fly larvae using morphological and isozyme characters; (3) Faunistics: Tephritidae of Florida, checklist of Florida Diptera, Tephritoidea of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Publications:

• Steck, G.J. 1984. Chaetostomella undosa (Diptera: Tephritidae): biology, ecology and larval description. Annals Entomological Society America 77: 669-678.
• Friedlander, T.P., R.A. Wharton and G.J. Steck. 1985. New records of Agromyzidae and their braconid parasitoids from Texas. Southwestern Entomologist 10: 257-263.
• Steck, G.J., F.E. Gilstrap, R.A. Wharton and W.G. Hart. 1986. Braconid parasitoids attacking fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in coffee and other fruits in West-Central Africa. Entomophaga 31: 59-67.
• Steck, G.J. and R.A. Wharton. 1986. Descriptions of immature stages of Eutreta (Diptera: Tephritidae). Journal Kansas Entomological Society 59: 296-302.
• Steck, G.J. and R.A. Wharton. 1988. Description of immature stages of Anastrepha interrupta, A. limae and A. grandis (Diptera: Tephritidae). Annals Entomological Society America 81: 994-1003.
• Steck, G.J. and A. Malavasi. 1988. Description of immature stages of Anastrepha bistrigata. (Diptera: Tephritidae). Annals Entomological Society America 81:1004-1009.
• Steck, G.J., G.L. Teetes and S. Maiga. 1989. Species composition and injury to sorghum by panicle feeding bugs in Niger. Ins. Sci. Appl. 10: 199-217.
• Steck, G.J., L.E. Carroll, H. Celedonio-H. and J. Guillen-A. 1990. Methods for identification of Anastrepha larvae (Diptera: Tephritidae), and key to 13 species. Proceedings Entomological Society Washington 92: 356-369.
• Steck, G.J. 1990. Biochemical systematics and population genetic structure of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) and related species (Diptera: Tephritidae). Annals Entomological Society America 84: 10-28.
• Sheppard, W.S., G.J. Steck and B.A. McPheron. 1992. Geographic populations of the medfly may be differentiated by mitochondrial DNA variation. Experientia 48: 1010-1013.
• Steck, G.J. and W.S. Sheppard. 1993. Mitochondrial DNA variation in Anastrepha fraterculus, pp. 9-14 in: Fruit Flies: Biology and Management. M. Aluja & P. Liedo (eds.). Springer Verlag.
• Steck, G.J. and J.A. Payne. 1993. Blueberry maggot, Rhagoletis mendax. Entomology Circular No. 358, Florida Department Agriculture & Consumer Services, 2 pp.
• Sutton, B.D. and G.J. Steck. 1994. Identification of Caribbean and Mediterranean fruit fly larvae (Diptera: Tephritidae) by cuticular hydrocarbon analysis. Florida Entomologist 77: 231-237.
• McPheron, B.A., G.E. Gasparich, H-Y. Han, G.J. Steck and W.S. Sheppard. 1994. Mitochondrial DNA restriction map for the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata. Biochemical Genetics 32: 25-33.
• Steck, G.J. 1994. Book Review: Foote, R.H., L. Blanc and A.L. Norrbom, Handbook of the Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) of America North of Mexico. Quarterly Review of Biology 69: 530-531.
• Steck, G.J. 1994. Florida bee killers: Mallophora (Diptera: Asilidae). Entomology Circular No. 366, Florida Dept. Agric. Cons. Serv. 2 pp.
• McPheron, B.A., W.S. Sheppard and G.J. Steck. 1995. Genetic research and the origin, establishment, and spread of the Mediterranean fruit fly, pp. 93-107 in: Proceedings: The Medfly in California: Defining Critical Research, J.G. Morse, R.L. Metcalf, J.R. Carey and R.V. Dowell (eds.). Univ. Calif. Center for Exotic Pest Research, Riverside.
• Steck, G.J. 1995. The number of indigenous species of Tephritidae reported from Florida, p. 32 in: Precinctive insect species in Florida, Behavioral Ecology Symposium, J.H. Howard & E.D. McCoy (eds.), Florida Entomologist 78: 22-35.
• Gasparich, G.E., W.S. Sheppard, H-Y. Han, B.A. McPheron, and G.J. Steck. 1995. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA and development of PCR-based diagnostic molecular markers for Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata populations. Insect Molecular Biology 4(1): 61-67.
• Steck, G.J. 1995. Book Review: Gagne, R.J. 1994. The Gall Midges of the Neotropical Region. Florida Entomologist 78: 190-191.
• Steck, G.J., P.M. Lyrene and J.A. Payne. 1995. Blueberry gall midge. Entomology Circular No. 373, Florida Dept. Agric. Cons. Serv. 2 pp.
• Steck, G.J., G.E. Gasparich, H-Y. Han, McPheron, B.A., and W.S. Sheppard. 1996. Distribution of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes among Ceratitis capitata populations worldwide, pp. 291-296 in: B.A. McPheron & G.J. Steck (eds.) Fruit Fly Pests: A World Assessment of Their Biology and Management. St. Lucie Press, Boca Raton FL.
• McPheron, B.A. and G.J. Steck (eds.) 1996. Fruit Fly Pests: A World Assessment of Their Biology and Management. St. Lucie Press, Boca Raton. xxii + 586 pp.
• Steck, G.J. 1996. Pea leaf miner, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae). Entomology Circular No. 378, Florida Dept. Agric. Cons. Serv. 3 pp.
  Clark, R.A., G.J. Steck and H.V. Weems, Jr. 1996. Detection, quarantine, and eradication of fruit flies in Florida, pp. 29-54 in: D.Rosen, F.D. Bennett & J.L. Capinera (eds.). Pest Management in the Subtropics: Integrated Pest Management - A Florida Perspective. Intercept Ltd., Andover, UK.
• Sutton, B.D. and G.J. Steck. 1997. Discrimination of fruit-fly larvae (Diptera: Tephritidae) by cuticular hydrocarbon analysis: Bactrocera Macquart species established in the New World and Hawaii. Mem. Entomol. Soc. Washington 18: 243-253.
• Condon, M.A. and G.J. Steck. 1997. Evolution of host use in Blepharoneura (Diptera: Tephritidae): multiple cryptic species on sexually dimorphic host plants. Biol. J. Linnaean Soc. 60: 443-466.
• Ahlmark, K. and G.J. Steck. 1997. A new U.S. record for a secondary fruit infester, Neosilba batesi (Curran) (Diptera: Lonchaeidae). Insecta Mundi 11:20.
• Gasparich, G.E., J. Silva, H-Y. Han, B.A. McPheron, G.J. Steck and W.S. Sheppard. 1997. Population genetic structure of Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) and implications for worldwide colonization patterns. Annals Entomological Society America 90(6): 790-797.
• Steck, G.J. 1998. Book Review: White, I.A. and D.L. Hancock. 1997. Indo-Australasian Dacini Fruit Flies. (Computer Aided Biological Identification Key). Florida Entomologist 81: 127-129.
• Steck, G.J. 1998. Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Entomology Circular No. 391, Nov/Dec 1998, Florida Dept. Agric. Cons. Serv. 2 pp.
• Steck, G.J. 1999.Taxonomic status of Anastrepha fraterculus, pp. 13-20 in, The South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wied.); advances in artificial rearing, taxonomic status and biological studies, IAEA-TECDOC-1064, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 202 pp.
• Steck, G.J. and B.D Sutton. 2000. New Records for Tephritidae (Diptera) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Insecta Mundi 14: 256.
• Steck, G.J. 2001. Book Review: Fruit Flies (Tephritidae): Phylogeny and Evolution of Behavior. Martín Aluja and Allen L. Norrbom, editors. 1999. Proceedings Entomological Society Washington 103: 457-466
• Steck, G.J. 2000. Ceratitis cosyra (Walker) (Diptera:Tephritidae). Entomology Circular No. 403, Nov/Dec 2000, Florida Dept. Agric. Cons. Serv. 2 pp.
• Steck, G.J. 2001. Concerning the occurrence of the West Indian fruit fly in Florida. Florida Entomologist 84: 320-321.
• Steck, G.J. 2001. Fruit fly Pests. Brochure, Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry. 2 pp.