Flightless fruit fly

Flightless fruit flies (Order Diptera) encompass a variety of different species of fly, such as Drosophila melanogaster, Bactrocera cucurbitae, Bactrocera dorsalis, and Drosophila hydei, with genetic mutations that cause them to be flightless.^[1] These genetic mutations may have different results such as the development of muscles that cannot support flight or even result in the lack of wings entirely.^[2] Flightless fly models have been especially useful for the study of human neuromuscular diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy, spinobulbar muscular atrophy, myotonic dystrophy, dystrophinopathies and other inherited neuromuscular diseases.^[3][4] Applications of flightless flies are extremely varied, even being used as test subjects in aeronautical research.^[5]

Other applications of flightless flies include using them as convenient feeders for a variety of companion animals, usually small reptiles such as geckos,^[6] being highly versatile due to their small size.^[7] Fruit flies are a useful source of protein for captive ant colonies. They can be fed to a colony dead or alive and whilst they are best used for small colonies, fruit flies can also be given to larger ones.^[8]