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] Other applications of flightless flies include using them as convenient feeders for a variety of companion animals[5] and even as test subjects in aeronautical research.[6]