Flightless fruit flies ( Order Diptera) encompass a variety of different species of fly, such as ''

Drosophila melanogaster ''Drosophila melanogaster'' is a species of fly (the taxonomic order Diptera) in the family Drosophilidae. The species is often referred to as the fruit fly or lesser fruit fly, or less commonly the " vinegar fly" or "pomace fly". Starting with ...

'', '' Bactrocera cucurbitae'', ''

Bactrocera dorsalis ''Bactrocera dorsalis'', previously known as ''Dacus dorsalis'' and commonly referred to as the oriental fruit fly, is a species of tephritid fruit fly that is endemic to Southeast Asia. It is one of the major pest species in the genus ''Bactro ...

'', and ''

Drosophila hydei ''Drosophila hydei (mosca casera)'' is a species of Diptera, or the order of flies, in the family Drosophilidae. It is a species in the ''hydei'' species subgroup, a group in the ''repleta'' species group. Bizarrely, it is also known for having ...

'', with genetic mutations that cause them to be flightless. 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. Flightless fly models have been especially useful for the study of human neuromuscular diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy,

spinobulbar muscular atrophy Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), popularly known as Kennedy's disease, is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder resulting in muscle cramps and progressive weakness due to degeneration of motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal c ...

myotonic dystrophy Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is a type of muscular dystrophy, a group of genetic disorders that cause progressive muscle loss and weakness. In DM, muscles are often unable to relax after contraction. Other manifestations may include cataracts, intel ...

, dystrophinopathies and other inherited

neuromuscular diseases A neuromuscular disease is any disease affecting the peripheral nervous system (PNS), the neuromuscular junction, or skeletal muscle, all of which are components of the motor unit. Damage to any of these structures can cause muscle atrophy and w ...

. Applications of flightless flies are extremely varied, even being used as test subjects in aeronautical research.

Uses for feeding pets

Other applications of flightless flies include using them as convenient feeders for a variety of

companion animals A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence ...

, usually small reptiles such as geckos, being highly versatile due to their small size. 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.

References

{{reflist Schizophora Animal models Myoneural junction and neuromuscular diseases Pet foods Insect common names